SHORT AND SWEET FINDING AUTHENTICITY NORTHERN GEMS

MAY | JUNE 2011
SHORT AND SWEET
UNITED KINGDOM
FINDING AUTHENTICITY
HONG KONG, PRC
NORTHERN GEMS
THAILAND
THE EMBODIMENT OF ELEGANCE
FRANCE
Inflight Magazine of Royal Brunei Airlines • May/June 2011
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IN THIS ISSUE...
08
16
50
60
COVER
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United Kingdom.
Editorial board
Advisor Royal Brunei Airlines
GM, Corporate Affairs Azhani Daniel
Editorial Russell Knox, Dian Idris
Editorial & production
General Manager Jacqueline W M Wong
Editor Anis Ramli
Editorial Assitant Kim Low
Studio Manager Ken Lau
Digital Media Designer Michele Tee
Coordinator Sa’adiah Hj Abas
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MUHIBAH
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FEATURES
08
Short and Sweet
Weekend breaks from London.
16
Kitchen Confidence
Vietnam’s KOTO.
22
Northern Gems
Health tourism in Chiang Mai.
28
The Embodiment of Elegance
Hotel Plaza Athenee, Paris.
38
Best of Brunei:
Great Grains
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WELCOME ONBOARD
42
46
Keistimewaan Brunei:
Bijirin Agung
Finding Authenticity
Hong Kong’s charming past.
LIFESTYLE
04
Deputy Chairman’s
Message
06
Inside RBA
64
Selamat Datang
66
Brunei International
Airport
50
Motoring: Peugeot 508
67
Traveller’s Guide
54
In Person: Pierre Rainero
68
58
The Buzz: What’s New
Route Map &
Destinations Guide
60
Take 5: Kuching
70
Abode of Peace
62
Travel Diary
72
Mind Teasers
58
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MAY | JUNE 2011
3
WELCOME ONBOARD DEPUTY CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE
Staff from RBA’s
Premises, Mail and
Transport sections.
Dear Guests,
Welcome aboard.
As a valued passenger, I hope you have enjoyed
interacting with our frontline staff at the check-in
desk and onboard the aircraft. We continue to be
very proud of their efforts to tend to your needs
with a smile.
In this issue of Muhibah, I want to pause for a
moment and pay tribute to the staff behind the
scenes who keep our operations running smoothly.
The teams in Engineering, Finance, Corporate
Services, and Quality, Safety, Security & Environment
(QSSE), are equally dedicated to ensuring that you
enjoy your flight with us.
The staff at RBA’s Premises, Transport and Mail
sections also play key roles that sometimes go
unnoticed. The Premises division manages and
maintains Royal Brunei Airlines’ properties in Brunei
including two aircraft hangars, our headquarters
in RBA Plaza, our Training Centre and RBA’s airport
offices. Meanwhile, the Transport team and staff
of the Mail section are often seen travelling in
between our offices, cheerfully delivering letters and
important documents.
Check out
eMuhibah at
www.bruneiair.com
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MUHIBAH
In the pages of Muhibah you will find that Chiang
Mai in Northern Thailand offers some exceptional
spots for relaxation. Every two years, the Thailand
Tourism Authority presents awards for tourism
products and culturally-rich Chiang Mai won awards
in 2010 for its holistic medical retreat, a city spa and
an urban resort.
In Finding Authenticity, we introduce you to the
unique balance of the old and new in Hong Kong.
Given the speed in which the city is re-inventing
itself, Hong Kong remains a haven for tourists
seeking the city’s old world charm amid its new,
modern landscape.
For our passengers heading to London, or mulling
a trip, the city offers you a seemingly inexhaustible
number of places to visit. But, if you’re looking for
a day trip or weekend getaway outside the city,
our Short and Sweet feature introduces you to
places just outside London, such as Brighton,
Stratford-Upon-Avon and more, that are filled with
immense attractions and surprises, including Paris
– a mere 2½-hour train ride away!
When you are across the Channel in Paris, do
stay at one of Brunei’s most chic and luxurious
overseas properties, the Hotel Plaza Athenee. The
Embodiment of Elegance details Plaza Athenee’s
exceptional hospitality and service. Imbibe a lesson
in luxury where no detail goes unnoticed – and
no expense spared – including a Maserati at your
disposal as a suite guest!
We hope you enjoy this issue and until the next
time, thank you for flying with Royal Brunei Airlines.
With Warm Wishes,
Dermot Mannion
Deputy Chairman
WELCOME ONBOARD INSIGHTS
Inside RBA
Roundup of Royal Brunei Airlines happenings
RBA Pilot Speaks at
Students Conference
Visit by
HRH Prince Hj Abd ’Azim
Boeing 777 pilot, Senior First Officer Sharifah Czarena Surainy Syed Hj
Hashim, was invited to be a panelist speaker at the International School
Brunei’s Borneo Global Issues Conference held early March.
His Royal Highness Prince Haji Abdul ’Azim paid a
visit to Brunei International Airport, RBA’s Engineering
Department and RBA Training Centre on 21 March.
The conference was officially opened by Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri
Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab
Rahaman. Over 300 students from schools in Brunei, Japan, Malaysia,
Indonesia and Thailand participated in the four-day event, which this year
carried the theme ‘Women in the 21st Century’.
Airline Deputy Chairman Dermot Mannion and
members of Senior Management greeted His Royal
Highness upon arrival at the Engineering Department.
During the visit, the Prince inspected an Airbus 319 that
was undergoing a maintenance check and toured some
of the engineering workshops. At the RBA Training
Centre, His Royal Highness was briefed about the
Safety & Emergency Procedures section and the Flight
Simulator facilities.
Following the conference, Senior First Officer Czarena said, “Having the
opportunity to interact with the students during the conference was an
absolute pleasure. To have once upon a time been a student in ISB and to
now come back as a recognised ‘someone’ was a sheer delight.
“One of my messages to them was to not be afraid to dream because with
hard work and determination, that dream one day, may just come true.”
Throughout the conference, participating students debated various topics
in a simulation of a UN proceeding in four main debating motions: SocioEconomic Affairs, Human Rights, Politics and the Environment.
Accompanying His Royal Highness throughout the
visit was Brunei’s Minister of Communications,
Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan
Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdullah bin Begawan
Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, and executives from
the Ministry.
Flights to Melbourne Inaugurated
On 29 March, Royal Brunei Airlines inaugurated its four-times weekly services
to Melbourne, Australia. The flights to Melbourne operate on Tuesday,
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, utilising RBA’s Boeing 777 aircraft.
Airline Deputy Chairman, Dermot Mannion said, “The launching of Royal
Brunei Airlines’ direct flight to Melbourne will strengthen the relationship
between Australia and Brunei Darussalam – not just within tourism and trade
but also in hopefully, the education sector.”
Congratulating the airline on this occasion, His Excellency Mark Sawers,
Australian High Commissioner to Brunei, commented. “This new service is
certainly welcome news to travellers both as a direct stop or a transit option.”
Royal Brunei Airlines Melbourne office is located at Level 10, 45 William Street,
Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia.
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FEATURE
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Short
S h and
or t
sweet
s we et
Need a quick break from London?
Here’s what you can do for a day or the weekend.
WORDS AVA SIMONS | PHOTOGRAPHS VISIT BRITAIN AND PARIS TOURIST OFFICE
BRIGHTON
The playground-by-the-sea for many
a-Londoners, Brighton in England’s
south has long been the Brit’s pleasure
destination for years (and birthplace of
Simon Cowell and Fatboy Slim!). It’s easy
reach from London – just about an hour’s
train ride, but boy, how worlds away from
the city it can be. Breathe in the giddy
salty ocean air as you stroll down the
Victorian Pier and the beachfront, where
stylish bars and cafes spill out onto the
curved paving. Race your partner for who
gets their toes dipped first in the sea.
Take in the Royal Pavilion, the famous
home of King George IV. Then explore
and have fun getting lost in the network
of impossibly narrow paths of The Lanes,
remnants of 17th century Brighton, now
packed with antique and gifts shops.
www.visitbrighton.com
MAY | JUNE 2011
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FEATURE
DORSET
The ‘South Wessex’ of Thomas Hardy’s novels, Dorset
remains the absolute Hardy country at every twist
and turn. From crooked thatched cottages whose
quiet lanes seemed untouched by time to delightful
coastal and inland scenery with dense forest and wild
flowers, Dorset is rural English at its best. The area is
also home to Jurassic Coast, England’s first natural
World Heritage Site, where an afternoon can be spent
scouring for primeval fossils. Dorset’s chalky hills also
make for an eye catching, visual feast and splendid
sights of the channel while the rocky peninsula of
Portland Bill, that extends south into the channel
and connects to the mainland via the shingle bank
known as Chesil Bank, is just breathtaking. Modern
Dorset offers outings to the beach at Bournemouth
where you can surf on Europe’s first artificial reef or,
learn to sail in Poole Harbour, one of the largest and
shallowest natural harbours in the world. End your
visit by dropping by at Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s
River Cottage for his amazing homegrown food.
www.visit-dorset.com
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STRATFORD-UPON-AVON
William Shakespeare’s birthplace still metes out gems of surprises. Situated
on the River Avon in the Heart of England, this is also home to the Royal
Shakespeare Company, five historic houses linked to the Bard and the
spellbinding Warwick Castle. The easiest way to discover Stratford is
through the open-top bus tour that departs the Tourist Information Centre
at regular intervals. Hop-on or hop-off as you wish as the coach makes
a one-hour loop through many interesting sights. Enjoy a gentle cruise
down the Avon River, then explore the charming surroundings of Anne
Hathaway’s cottage, where she was wooed by the young Shakespeare.
Even if you’re not a fan, catch at least one Royal Shakespeare Company
production for its sterling performances – you’ll be left inspired! For
something a little off the wall, try a Spooky Ghost Tour of Stratford or visit
the city’s most haunted museum, the Creaky Cauldron.
www.visitstratforduponavon.co.uk
MAY | JUNE 2011
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FEATURE
YORK
York’s compact medieval landscape is England’s typical tourist image in a
nutshell. Its history can be traced back to the Vikings – and indeed the Jorvik
Viking Centre is a reminder of its past – while its historical buildings are some
of the best preserved in England. A great introduction to the city is walking
around on its ancient city walls. This stunning piece of historical architecture
offers you a view of York from a different perspective – of towers looming
in the horizon, their arches and turrets a reminder of grim histories; and
the iconic Minster, York’s most imposing building ensconced in its beautiful
gardens. The medieval cobbled streets of the Shambles make for a nice
afternoon stroll, with its winding narrow lanes, picturesque buildings and
quaint shops. Locomotive fans will enjoy a day out at the National Railway
Museum, the biggest in the world of its kind, where you’ll find anything from
a Japanese bullet train to Queen Victoria’s favourite carriage. In September,
York hosts UK’s largest Festival of Food and Drink, with a mini version in May,
featuring a farmer’s market and many gourmet delights.
www.visityork.org
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CAMBRIDGE
The ancient university town of Cambridge
will inspire anyone who visits. From its lovely
colleges and sumptuous architecture to
hidden courtyards and gardens that offer
breathtaking panorama, you could spend a
day exploring and still wish for more. Situated
in the East of England, Cambridge sits on
the River Cam and has plenty to offer all year
round. Kings College Chapel, the familiar
image of Cambridge the world over, is a
must-visit, if only to say you’ve been there.
The world-famous university aside, you’ll find
pleasure exploring the river running along
the backs of the colleges, the bustling market
in the town’s centre and the endless rows
of shops, bookshops, cafes and restaurants.
Delight as you take in the beauty of the Backs
on a traditional punt along the River Cam.
www.visitcambridge.org
MAY | JUNE 2011
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FEATURE
BATH
Bath is called the Roman City for a reason. Discovered by
the Romans some 2,000 years ago, the city grew from its
hot spring waters. Today, visitors flock to the city mainly
to visit the famous Roman Bath and Pump Room and see
the water’s source. Although you cannot bathe here, you
can experience the same mineral-rich waters that the Celts
and Romans enjoyed at the Thermae Bath Spa, Britain’s
original and only natural thermal spa. There are also many
fine classic Georgian architecture built of Cotswold stone
to be found in Bath. Number One was the first house to
be built in the Royal Crescent, John Wood’s masterpiece
of Palladian design. The magnificently restored and
authentically furnished town house creates a wonderful
picture of fashionable life in 18th century Bath. Elsewhere,
Bath pays tribute to its famous resident, Jane Austen, with
the Jane Austen Centre, offering a snapshot of life during
her time and how it affected her writing. The city celebrates
the Jane Austen Festival every September with a colourful
costumed parade and a week-long programme filled with
talks, productions, readings and tours. Bath is also home to
the world famous Sally Lunn Bun (exceptionally light, semisweet bread) and now there’s a living museum, Sally Lunn’s,
where visitors can experience a taste of Bath.
www.visitbath.co.uk
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OXFORD
The other university town, Oxford, is equally
inspiring. Charmingly quaint and stunningly grand
at the same time, it is this contrast that draws
visitors all year round. Its beautiful city colleges
and riverside setting, literary links and stunning
film and TV locations, shops with local character,
and music and drama – they all blend with
Oxford’s lively mix of restaurants, cafes and tourist
attractions to give this historic city its alluring,
vibrant and cosmopolitan buzz. Poet Matthew
Arnold called it the ‘city of the dreaming spires’,
referring to the gentle spires and harmonious
architecture of the city’s university buildings. Get
to know Oxford through the various themed
public tours, including one paying homage to
literary boy wizard, Harry Potter. Peek into one
of ‘Europe’s most beautiful rooms’, the Bodelian
Library, and its distinctive quadrangle interiors.
Take a punt along the River Cherwell, and discover
the old-fashioned rivalry between Oxford and
Cambridge. Or simply enjoy a cup of coffee and
watch the world go by.
www.visitoxfordandoxfordshire.com
PARIS
It may not be in Britain but with its easy reach
from London by train (just 2.5 hours), it would
be a shame to give this French capital a miss.
And, you’ll find Paris’s contrast to London
welcoming. The city is best taken slow, like
seeing the Eiffel Tower from a distance as you
stroll through Jardin des Tuileries, ambling
along the River Seine to see the locals unwind,
munching on soft, buttery croissant bought
from any of the cafes in the Latin Quarter, or
just standing at the steps of Montmarte for a
sweeping view of the city. Of course, Paris is
also the place for prime shopping. While no
other street in the world could rival Fauborg
St-Honore, these days, Paris’s energy and
vibe seems to centre around Le Chatelet and
Les Halle with its mix of trendy affordable
shopping and vintage clothing. Plus, most
shops here open on Sundays! Trains run from
London St Pancras to Paris every half hour.
en.parisinfo.com
Royal Brunei Airlines flights to London operate daily from
Bandar Seri Begawan and Dubai.
MAY | JUNE 2011
15
FEATURE
n
e
h
Kitc
N
E
D
I
F
N
CO
Vietnam’s street kids get a
second chance at life, thanks
to KOTO.
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHS KOTO INTERNATIONAL
16
MUHIBAH
NCE
The flagship
restaurant KOTO on
Van Mieu is a place
where customers
can enjoy delicious
Vietnamese and
European food.
CATHARINE NICOL
OPPOSITE PAGE
RIGHT
Jimmy Pham,
founder and CEO of
KOTO International,
is passionate about
helping the street
kids in Vietnam.
A
ustralian Jimmy Pham’s KOTO
journey began in 1996, when
he returned to his country
of birth, Vietnam, to discover the despair facing
Vietnamese street and disadvantaged youths.
“The kids slept in trees so they didn’t get beaten
up on the streets during the night, and had skin
ulcers from having to wash near sewerage outlets.
They’d been forgotten by society and had no one
to turn to,” says Pham who founded KOTO and
today is the CEO of KOTO International.
To help the children back then, Pham started
handing out money for food and shelter to six
teenage street kids but within two weeks, that
number ballooned to 60. “Word got around that
someone was giving out money, so of course
people came from everywhere! But then they said
to me that they didn’t want to go on relying on
handouts,” Pham recalls. The kids instead told
Pham they wanted help gaining skills so they could
work and support themselves.
Pham realised that he needed to provide the
children the ability to be self-sufficient and,
with his tourism background, knew there was a
demand in Vietnam for well-trained hospitality
staff. “Hospitality skills, such as interpersonal
skills, English, hard work, discipline and the
ability to deal with people from a wide range of
backgrounds are all transferable skills. So even if
the kids didn’t stay in hospitality, they could go
and do something else.”
MAY | JUNE 2011
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FEATURE
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP
The inside of KOTO on Van
Mieu; announcing the day’s
menu; alfresco dining on the
rooftop; fast kitchen service;
a trainee hard at work.
Armed with that realisation, Pham established
KOTO, which stands for ‘Know One Teach One’,
a 24-month hospitality, English and life skills
programme that enables Vietnam’s street and
disadvantaged youth to acquire the skills to gain
employment and break the poverty cycle. For his
work and effort, Pham was honoured recently in
March and named Young Global Leader at the
World Economic Forum.
KOTO provides support and structure and a family
environment where trainees can grow and develop
into confident young adults ready for the rigours
of the hospitality industry and deal with life’s
challenges. Every six months, the not-for-profit
training hospitality organisation recruits up to 30
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MUHIBAH
trainees between the ages of 16 to 22 at each of
its two locations, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
The common thread among the trainees is they
all come from backgrounds involving poverty,
abandonment, abuse, involvement in exploitative
employment or neglect.
KOTO has trained over 300 people and has a
100 percent success rate in trainees gaining
employment upon graduating. The hospitality
curriculum is provided by Australia’s Box Hill
Institute, enabling the trainees to graduate with
both a KOTO certificate and an international
accreditation. KOTO graduates now work in
many of the finest hospitality venues throughout
Vietnam, Australia and the Middle East.
CATHARINE NICOL
MAY | JUNE 2011
19
FEATURE
20
MUHIBAH
THIS PAGE
Pham surrounded by KOTO trainees upon
being honoured as Young Global Leader
at the World Economic Forum 2011.
OPPOSITE PAGE
Trainees cook under staff supervision
in the restaurant’s kitchen; a KOTO
cookbook with many of the restaurant’s
favourite recipes.
KOTO has been operational in Hanoi for 10 years and in Ho Chi Minh City
since January 2010. In Hanoi, KOTO has a catering service and restaurant,
where the trainees work to gain valuable practical experience during the
programme, attending to over 200 customers daily.
“One of the reasons I started KOTO was because I wanted to give people
who had had very tough, traumatic lives a nurturing environment where they
could be themselves and grow into confident young adults, knowing they are
surrounded by people who love them. Many never had that opportunity or
the experience before KOTO,” says Pham.
Pham admits that there were some difficult times through the journey,
but says the time he spends with the trainees reminds him of why he’s made
the sacrifices he had. “The smiles and laughter of the trainees is what keeps
me going.”
Since its inception, KOTO has been a free programme offered to trainees
and remains so till today. It relies heavily on revenue from its restaurant
and catering service, as well as its trainee sponsorship programme. The
programme allows the public to pledge a fixed contribution each month for
two years, with the donation paying for the education and initial medical
costs of the trainee sponsored. Sponsors also receive a profile of their
sponsored trainee, regular updates on their progress and an invitation to one
of the most significant events of the trainee’s life – the KOTO graduation.
“Trainee sponsors love being part of it. We have people who are on to their
third and fourth trainee. But we’re always looking for more trainee sponsors,”
Pham explains.
KOTO has many great success stories, including Ms Nguyen Thi Thao, from
KOTO Hanoi’s first class of trainees. Before KOTO, Thao worked on the
streets 12 hours a day, seven days a week, selling postcards but never earning
enough to cover her food and basic living expenses. Added to this was the
fact that Hanoi’s streets are a dangerous place for a then 13-year-old girl.
After graduating in 2002, Thao was employed at the Sofitel Metropole
Hanoi as a senior food and beverage attendant and, after three years
of working there, conveyed her desire to return to KOTO to pass on her
knowledge. Before long Thao was employed at
KOTO’s Hanoi restaurant and was soon promoted
to restaurant manager.
Through the KOTO alumni programme, Thao was
given the opportunity to travel to Switzerland
to further her work experience in a fine dining
restaurant. After returning to Vietnam, Thao won
the KOTO Ambassador Award which enabled
her to move to Melbourne, Australia, to study
an Advance Diploma in Hospitality Management
at Box Hill Institute, while working at the Sofitel
Melbourne.
“Studying abroad is a fantastic experience. It
helps me to expand my knowledge, gain life
experiences, meet people and make friends, learn
about many different cultures and much more,”
says Thao.
“The skills I was taught at KOTO, such as life
skills, team work, English as well as working with
foreigners, have helped tremendously to prepare
me for my life overseas. KOTO has always been
there and provided support when I needed it
which is a great motivation for me to carry on.”
When asked about the future of KOTO,
Pham speaks of a desire to expand the model
throughout Asia and many other countries.
“Our slogan for the future is: ‘Wherever there is
abandonment, neglect or abuse, we will be there’
and that’s what we’re working towards.”
For more information, visit www.koto.com.au
Royal Brunei Airlines flights to Ho Chi Minh City operate four times
weekly from Bandar Seri Begawan.
MAY | JUNE 2011
21
FEATURE
NORTHERN
Gems
A distinct culture that includes true Lanna hospitality
has Chiang Mai increasingly recognised as a region for
innovative health tourism.
WORDS ANIS RAMLI
22
MUHIBAH
OPPOSITE
Oasis Spa offers treatments
steeped in Lanna culture with
a modern twist.
THIS PAGE
F
Tao Garden Health & Spa
resort is a verdant retreat that
benefits both the spiritual and
physical wellbeing.
or years, the culturally-rich Chiang
Mai has attracted tourists looking
for an authentic Thai experience of
its northern hospitality, tribal culture and various
artisinal and crafts markets. Its cooler climate
makes it even more desirable for those wanting
to get away from Thailand’s usual beach and
city holiday, while its distinct Lanna culture and
architecture provide an added dimension and
depth to discovering a country that has long been
one of South East Asia’s top holiday destinations.
These days, Chiang Mai has become a magnet
for travellers in a growing travel segment known
as health tourism, promoting Thailand’s superior
medical services matched with its unique warm
hospitality known simply as ‘Thainess’. The
evolution was only natural. After all, the city has
an inimitable charm and, with a health and spa
industry that enjoys a reputation of imparting
indigenous knowledge, it wasn’t long before
Chiang Mai would carve its own niche.
Foremost of this service is the Tao Garden Health
& Spa Resort. Described as a sanctuary of many
dimensions, this holistic health farm balances
Western medical philosophies with Eastern healing
know-how. Its programmes are deep rooted in
Oriental philosophy of the dynamic integration
between the individual and the environment.
The sprawling retreat is a quiet green idyll that instantly embraces you in its
calming fold. Paths that run under verdant green canopies amid gardens and
water features dotted with tropical flowers are all designed to enhance the
rejuvenating experience. Guests walk through this tranquil landscape as they
make their way to Tao Garden’s own integrative clinic or the spa. The same
gardens play host to a morning ensemble of either tai chi, qi gong or yoga.
Furthering its self-sustaining way of life, the retreat also has its own army
of professional cooks that work in an equally commercial kitchen. Guests
dine on meals that merge exotic flavours with nutritional delight. There
are cooked meals and raw food, each using the organic produce grown in
the retreat’s own garden extensively. Red meats are avoided with only halal
chicken and seafood offered on the menu. There’s also a huge list of fresh
juices available, a boon for those on a detox plan.
The health programmes themselves are wide and varied, which can overwhelm
the first time visitor. However, a consultation with the in-house doctor at the
integrative clinic allows guests and the highly trained physician to set a course
for guests to achieve optimum wellness. Tailor-made programmes can range
anywhere from a one-day cleanse to a one-month intensive programme,
with each having its own treatment protocols, diet and lifestyle adjustment to
benefit both the physical and spiritual growth. The resort has won numerous
awards and was most recently honoured by the Tourism Authority of Thailand
as the best example of a health tourism product in the region.
MAY | JUNE 2011
23
FEATURE
Rarinjinda Wellness Spa is designed
around an old, heritage house that now
boasts of modern design and facilities.
Similar to Tao Garden, Rarinjinda Wellness Spa
shares the same award, offering treatments and
healing programmes that are parallel in its notion.
The resort may be located near Chiang Mai’s
bustling centre and the historical Mai Ping River,
but Rarinjinda’s design is ingenious in its layout to
create a spectacular urban oasis.
The heartbeat of the resort is its 140-year-old
traditional teak house that has been meticulously
restored to its former glory. Here, the lobby
connects to a comfortable lounge room where
guests can check e-mails on the computer,
watch Premier League on the flatscreen TV, or
laze with the many free magazines and DVDs
available at the library. The spa, as well as guest
accommodation, is built around this, hidden
away from the outside world cocooned within
a manicured garden filled with tropical flowers
and water-filled urns. Stepping into the resort
transports you to a different realm, away from the
tourist-filled Chiang Mai of the everyday.
Making the most of its urban setting, Rarinjinda is
perhaps the city’s most complete wellness centre,
equipped with many modern health and spa
technologies. Facilities such as the hydrotherapy
pool, infrared sauna, hydrotherapy tub, Vichy
Shower, and whirlpool with chromo therapy,
to name a few, are all applied together with a
customised health programme designed upon
consultation with Spa Director, Dr Sushil Rahul,
who is also an expert in Alternative Medicine.
Its Hydrocolon Therapy is among the most
favoured programmes, allowing ‘patients’ to colon
cleanse, colon irrigate and detoxify the body in a
comfortable environment.
Perhaps what truly stands out in Rarinjinda is
its healing body treatments. Each has been
creatively adapted to combine the traditional with
contemporary spa theories around the world, all
the while delivered in true Thai hospitality and
style. The result is an exotic and unforgettable
journey towards health and wellness. For instance,
a session on a warm sand bed infused with the
calming Tibetan sound therapy is profoundly
relaxing. As the bowls vibrate across the body,
it induces a deep sense of relaxation that
simultaneously activates the body’s self-healing
mechanisms. All this is experienced whilst the heat
generated from the sand bed helps to eliminate
toxins and rheumatic and osteoarthritic conditions.
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MUHIBAH
The lobby of Rarinjinda Wellnes Spa is a
homely building meticulously restored
from a 140-year-old teak house.
MAY | JUNE 2011
25
FEATURE
Another award-winning establishment is Oasis Spa in the heart of the
city. Long a favourite of the locals, visitors have now discovered why this
is the ultimate refuge for stressed out urbanites looking for tranquility
and wellbeing. One of the few spas to promote health and wellness
using ingredients unique to the region, Oasis Spa deftly brings a modern
spin to the healing therapies of yore for today’s lifestyle.
Its Lanna Explorer treatment, for instance, best exemplifies this
philosophy as well as providing the graceful pampering long associated
with Northern Thailand’s golden era. A four-hour body and face therapy,
many of the ingredients used in this treatment are folk remedies
indigenous to the northern region that are still practised in many rural
communities. There is plai, a close relative of the ginger family, known
for its anti-inflammatory benefits; lemongrass, favoured for its antifungal properties; and magrood leaf (kaffir lime leaf) that promotes
blood circulation.
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MUHIBAH
Another definitive experience of Oasis Spa is its
ability to retain the true Lanna values. Apart from
the experience of sound and touch, the spa retains
other aspects, such as ambiance and scent, to
wholly envelop the guest in the concept. Housed
in several teakwood buildings, guests cross low
teakwood bridges across lotus ponds and lush
tropical scented gardens to their private treatment
villas with their own private outdoor showers.
Elegant sandstone fountains greet guests at the
lobby, where stately palm trees create a verdant
canopy that enhance the mood for relaxation.
In fact, the government of Chiang Mai has been
proactive in its efforts to create a distinct health
service innovation known as the Thai Lanna Spa
identity, allocating 28 million Baht in 2006 to
boost health tourism in the province. Oasis Spa is
among the many health and spa service providers
that have benefited from the establishment of
Chiang Mai University’s Faculty of Pharmacy to
further promote understanding and preservation
of traditional herbs and medicinal uses distinct to
the northern region. The Faculty of Nursing at the
university also acts as the centre to continuously
develop the spa service. With various policies put
in place, the one to benefit most from Chiang
Mai’s commitment to health tourism will certainly
be the visitors.
Experience true Lanna healing
therapies at Oasis Spa.
Royal Brunei Airlines operates daily flights from Bandar Seri
Begawan to Bangkok, where there are connecting flights to
Chiang Mai.
MAY | JUNE 2011
27
FEATURE
Elegance
The Embodiment of
With past guests that include Mata Hari,
Christian Dior, Grace Kelly and the Ford
family, Plaza Athenee Paris knows exactly
the rules of hospitality.
WORDS ANIS RAMLI
PHOTOGRAPHS HOTEL PLAZA ATHENEE PARIS
28
MUHIBAH
T
hrowing open the windows of
the Eiffel Suite on Plaza Athenee’s
8th floor, you’ll immediately be
transported to Gustave Caillebotte’s Rooftops
in the Snow. Though the season differs, the
landscape that rolls out in front of you – of urban
rooftops draped in the crisp colours of Spring
spread out in a carpet of cool blues and greys
before stopping shy in the horizon at the foot of
the iconic Eiffel Tower – is undeniably Paris at its
most eloquent. The suite, one of only three among
the 191-room hotel that offers an unforgettable
view of this City of Dreams, also has a silver
frosted frame in the bathroom that, with a touch
of the button, turns clear to reveal the lattice
tower rising high above the city’s urban aesthetics.
For Plaza Athenee, a French institution in itself,
embodying the true spirit of Paris remains a crucial
part of its DNA. Anchored in the heart of the
prestigious Avenue Montaigne since 1913, every
Parisian knows the legendary Plaza, a living legend
MAY | JUNE 2011
29
FEATURE
housed in a Haussmann-esque building, with its
decorative Art Nouveau balconies and emblematic
red awnings. But Plaza Athenee continues to
reshape its future to remain relevant in the Paris of
today while maintaining the balance between its
past and present.
Suites, such as the aforementioned Eiffel and
other rooms in the hotel, are regularly renovated
to keep the hotel fresh and current. When the
hotel looked to imprint its interiors with a strong
Parisian decor, it was to interior decorators Bettina
Mortemard and Marie Jose Pommereau they
turned to for this realisation. For both designers,
they need not look far for inspiration. Just a few
steps away is the historical Theatre des Champs
Elysees, where Jospehine Baker once brought
jazz craze to France with her famous La Revue
Negre. Now, art and Art Deco reigns on the 7th
and 8th floors of the hotel, contrasting nicely
with the building’s 19th century exterior. Perfectly
parqueted floors mix with woven rugs that blend
with the duck-egg blue and beige interiors.
Another point of reference is the high ceilings,
stucco, mouldings and fireplace of the hotel’s
other rooms. Here, Mortemard and Pommereau
paid homage to the classic French style of Louis
XV, Louis XVI and Regency to create residences
full of pomp befitting the former French Empire
while mixing modern touches such as an internal
video network and a music library with a myriad
of song choices. There is also WiFi available, but
this is chargeable.
“It’s been one of the regular talking points in
management,” explains Isabelle Maurin, the
Director of Communications, about the hotel’s
WiFi policy that has been a point of contention
with many past guests. “Some think we should
continue to charge a fee, others are for giving
it out for free.” Maurin however does not
discount the fact that the policy will be reviewed
continuoulsy. For now though, the fee stays.
The fact that Plaza Athenee belongs to the
Dorchester Collection does not easily escape the
discerning guest. The Dorchester Collection has a
reputation of not only fabulously-sited addresses
in major cities of the world, but also of charm,
elegance and service. For its part, the Plaza
does not disappoint. Being at the centre of Paris
fashion and surrounded by Paris’s most exclusive
30
MUHIBAH
MAY | JUNE 2011
31
FEATURE
32
MUHIBAH
MAY | JUNE 2011
33
FEATURE
34
MUHIBAH
“
Plaza Athenee
embodies the
true spirit of Paris
– romantic and
luxurious.
”
MAY | JUNE 2011
35
FEATURE
36
MUHIBAH
designer shops on Avenue Montaigne that include Christian
Dior, Chanel, Max Mara, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Celine,
Valentino and Hermes, guests have the luxury of having their
purchases delivered to the hotel complimentary by the various
shop staff. The hotel is also within easy reach of Rue du
Faubourg Saint-Honore.
No coincidence that when it comes to Parisian culinary
parlance, this hotel manages to trump others. Since 2000,
Alain Ducasse has been running the restaurant of his
namesake at Plaza Athenee. Today, the 3-Michelin star Alaine
Ducasse au Plaza Athenee is a gem among the hotel’s five
other restaurants. Here is where the art of entertaining is
taken to new heights, and where the world slips gloriously
away as you sit to sample the best of French culinary culture.
With a Louis XV ambiance created by French designer Patrick
Jouin, guests will be left speechless with pleasure at the
genius of the cooking.
In a city not always known for warm customer service, the
hotel’s smiling staff take extra effort to make everyone
feel at home. At breakfast, overwhelmed by the copious
amount of pastries in the morning’s breakfast basket – which
came with its own printed guide! – a service staff discreetly
came to the rescue to recommend the best of the loot. On
another occasion, no one batted an eyelash when asked
to recommend alternative places to shop for the budget
conscious, rattling off a list of indelible jaunts at Le Chatelet.
Perhaps the ultimate test to a hotel’s reputation is meeting
the needs of its most important guests: Kids. To this
end, this luxury hotel does all it can to forge the best of
relationships with its junior clientele. Every winter, La Cour
Jardin, a restaurant with vibrant, gutsy sun red umbrellas and
Virginia creepers during the warmer months, turns magical,
transformed into an ice rink complete with skating lessons
for the little ones. For just one month of the year, there are
themed rooms created for young guests. This August, girls can
look forward to a Barbie-themed room while boys can enjoy
a room decorated in all manners of Hot Wheels. The hotel
considers their young guests Very Important Children (VIC) so
much so that they have a dedicated website with age-specific
content for 6 to 14 year olds. Plus, in true Plaza Athenee style,
there are also lots of goodies catered especially for them,
such as cookies, pastries, plush teddy bears and pint-sized
bathrobes in the hotel’s symbolic red colour.
“When guests leave the hotel, we’d like to think they have
spent the most amazing time with us,” Maurin says. And,
judging from how Plaza Athenee manages to retain its strong
heritage drivers while balancing this with a revitalised fervour
for the century ahead, it’s hard to imagine anyone leaving the
Plaza anything else but spellbound.
Royal Brunei Airlines operates daily flights from Brunei and Dubai to London where
there are connecting flights to Paris.
MAY | JUNE 2011
37
FEATURE BEST OF BRUNEI
Grains
Great
Considered a staple of the majority of the
world’s population, rice is more than just
a grain, playing an important role in many
different cultures.
WORDS KIM LOW
38
MUHIBAH
Beras Laila, a variety of local rice,
is a product of one of the projects
undertaken by the Department of
Agriculture and Agrifood.
R
ice is undeniably the most
important staple food for a large
part of the world’s population,
especially in East and South Asia, the Middle
East, Latin America, and the West Indies. First
domesticated in the region of the Yangtze River
valley, rice now provides more than one fifth of the
calories consumed by people worldwide. Rice also
happens to be the most important cereal grain that
contributes to an individual’s nutritional intake.
In many countries, rice plays a significant role
that go beyond being a staple food. Parts of the
rice plant are used anywhere from making fuel
to thatching roofs, as well as making industrial
rice starch and create artwork. Rice also features
dominantly in many cultures as beauty aids.
Pounded to fine powder, rice makes an excellent
face talc that minimises pores while rice husks are
sometimes used as body scrubs. Even companies
today attest to rice’s beauty benefits. The Body
Shop has a Rice Bran Scrub while The Face Shop
includes rice as ingredient in its cleanser. Studies
have also shown the many health benefits of rice,
including having anti-cancer properties and the
potential to treat conditions such as heart disease,
kidney stones and diabetes, although many of
these beneficial compounds are absent from
white rice.
As a testament to how rice plays an integral
part in many countries’ diet, many cultures even
have their own sayings pertaining to the grain.
The expression for eating a meal in most Asian
countries alludes to rice. Burma’s htamin sar,
Thailand’s kin khao, Vietnam’s n c m all means
“to eat rice”. This is also seen in Korea’s bap,
Japan’s meshi and China’s fan, of which the latter
is used interchangeably for meals and rice.
While rice is not the most popular grain in the
Western diet, it still plays a prominent role in the
form of weddings. Guests toss rice at the bride
and groom during the ceremony to symbolically
wish them a lifetime of blessings. This is because
rice is thought to represent fertility and prosperity.
During early Roman times, wheat was the grain of
choice for weddings, though the practice became
less popular during the reign of England’s Queen
Elizabeth I, when wheat was instead baked into
a cake for guests to eat. And, as wheat became
costlier and the guests needed something to toss
to the bride, white rice was instead chosen. The
rest as they say, is history.
Rice cultivation itself is labour-intensive and
requires copious amounts of water. It takes 5,000
litres of water to produce one kilogramme of rice,
making the plant best suited to countries and
regions with high rates of rainfall; although it can
be grown practically anywhere – even on steep
hillsides and mountains. Rice fields on terraces are
themselves breathtaking, especially during sunsets.
The stunning view has also been one of the
reasons why people travel to Bali time and again,
to look at the island’s many stunning padi terraces
and fields.
MAY | JUNE 2011
39
FEATURE BEST OF BRUNEI
Traditional local cakes (from
top, clockwise) katilapam,
kuih kelupis, penyaram and
tapai are teatime favourites
of Bruneians, all made with
rice flour.
The hardiness and ease of growing rice has made
it a popular choice for many farmers. Being the
most important crop in Asia, the majority of the
world’s rice production are from China, Korea,
India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam,
Thailand, Myanmar, Philippines, and Japan. The
Asian region still accounts for a high percentage of
the world’s total rice production.
Similarly in Brunei Darussalam, rice is an important
part of the local’s diet. Apart from being the local
staple, rice is also used to make many Brunei kueh,
or sweet cakes. But Brunei is only able to provide
three percent of what is needed for the local
consumption, with the rest being imported from
other countries. In order to ensure the nation’s
food security and that it remains self-sufficient,
Brunei has embarked on a nationwide agricultural
expansion with plans to increase its local rice
production by as much as 60 percent
by 2015.
Taking the first step towards cultivating and
developing the nation’s local rice production, the
government introduced a hybrid padi variety with
high multiple yields. Requiring only a three-month
cycle before it ripens and is ready for harvest, this
40
MUHIBAH
variety was specially brought to Brunei from the
Philippines. Known initially as Brunei Darussalam
Rice 1, or BDR1, it was later renamed Beras Laila,
after a nationwide naming competition.
The word ‘laila’ is meaningful as it denotes
honesty, content and peaceful. The winner,
Mardiah Haji Ramli, mentioned that she first
became interested in the word ‘laila’ after
hearing the titah of His Majesty Sultan Haji
Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah,
Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan Brunei Darussalam
during his Coronation on 5 October, 1967.
After some research, she came up with the
name Beras Laila.
Beras Laila has proven to be popular with the
locals as it can be used to make a variety of
dishes as well as desserts. Compared to some
other varieties of rice, Beras Laila has more
micro-nutrients and is higher in protein. To
help further promote this particular rice to the
nation, the Agriculture and Agrifood Department
recently published a book containing 30 different
recipes using Beras Laila as the main ingredient,
simultaneously encouraging the locals to develop
their tastebuds around the new grain.
www.bruneitourism.travel
FEATURE BEST OF BRUNEI
Bijirin
Agung
Dianggap sebagai makanan ruji bagi
kebanyakan penduduk di dunia,
beras bukan sekadar sejenis bijirin,
kerana ia turut memainkan peranan
penting dalam pelbagai budaya.
TEKS KIM LOW
42
MUHIBAH
BRUNEI TIMES
T
idak dapat dinafikan bahawa nasi
merupakan makanan ruji yang paling
penting bagi sebahagian besar
penduduk dunia, terutamanya di negara Asia
Timur dan Asia Selatan, Timur Tengah, Amerika
Latin, dan Hindia Barat. Tanaman beras asalnya
dibudi dayakan di kawasan lembah Sungai
Yangtze, di mana kini nasi menyumbang lebih dari
satu perlima jumlah kalori yang digunakan oleh
penduduk di seluruh dunia. Secara tidak langsung,
nasi juga menjadi bijirin paling penting yang
menyumbang kepada keperluan gizi pemakanan
seseorang individu.
Di kebanyakan negara, beras memainkan peranan
yang lebih signifikan, melampaui sekadar menjadi
makanan ruji. Beberapa bahagian daripada
tanaman padi mempunyai pelbagai kegunaan. Ia
boleh digunakan untuk dijadikan bahan bakar,
membuat atap daun serta karya seni manakala
hasilan beras termasuk tepung beras dan kanji.
Beras juga kian mendominasi sebagai bahan asas
produk kecantikan. Ditumbuk menjadi serbuk
halus, beras boleh dijadikan bedak muka yang
sangat baik yang mampu mengecilkan pori-pori,
sementara sekam padi pula kadangkala digunakan
sebagai skrub badan. Bahkan, banyak syarikat
pada hari ini mengesahkan manfaat kecantikan
yang mampu didapati dari beras. The Body Shop
telah mengeluarkan Rice Bran Scrub sementara
The Face Shop menggunakan beras sebagai salah
satu bahan kandungan dalam produk pembersih
mukanya. Kajian juga telah menunjukkan banyak
manfaat kesihatan yang boleh didapati daripada
beras, termasuk mengandungi ejen anti-kanser,
selain memiliki potensi untuk mengubati penyakit
jantung, batu di dalam ginjal serta kencing manis.
Walau bagaimanapun, banyak daripada sebatian
bermanfaat ini tidak terdapat dalam nasi putih.
Beras Laila, sejenis varieti
beras tempatan, merupakan
produk daripada salah satu
projek penanaman padi
yang dikerjakan oleh Jabatan
Pertanian dan Agrimakanan
ke arah mencapai sara diri
pengeluaran beras di Negara
Brunei Darussalam.
Bukti bagi mengesahkan lagi bagaimana beras
dan nasi memainkan peranan penting dalam
diet kebanyakan negara dapat dilihat melalui
pepatah atau ucapan-ucapan berkaitan dengan
bijirin tersebut. Mana-mana waktu makan
seringkali diekspresikan secara tidak langsung
sebagai memakan nasi di kebanyakan negara
Asia. Di Burma terdapat istilah htamin sar, di
Thailand menyebut kin khao dan di Vietnam
dengan istilahnya yang berbunyi n c m,
dimana semuanya merujuk kepada “makan
nasi”. Hal ini juga jelas kelihatan pada bap
di Korea, meshi di Jepun dan fan di China,
dimana istilah-istilah tersebut digunakan
bersilih ganti bagi merujuk kepada waktu
makan dan juga nasi.
Walaupun beras bukanlah bijirin yang paling
popular dalam gizi pemakanan negara Barat,
namun ia masih memainkan peranan penting
semasa majlis perkahwinan. Para tetamu
melemparkan beras pada kedua mempelai
semasa upacara perkahwinan mereka sebagai
tanda mendoakan kehidupan berumahtangga
yang diberkati seumur hidup. Ini kerana
beras dianggap melambangkan kesuburan
dan kemakmuran. Awalnya semasa Tamadun
Rom, gandum menjadi bijirin pilihan untuk
upacara perkahwinan, biarpun amalan itu
kemudiannya menjadi kurang popular pada
zaman pemerintahan Ratu Elizabeth I di
England. Ketika itu gandum dijadikan bahan
untuk membuat kek bagi menjamu para
tetamu. Apabila gandum menjadi semakin
mahal dan para jemputan memerlukan
sesuatu untuk dilemparkan kepada pengantin
yang dirai, maka beras telah menjadi pilihan.
Begitulah sejarah asalnya bagaimana tradisi itu
diteruskan sehingga kini.
MAY | JUNE 2011
43
FEATURE BEST OF BRUNEI
Hidangan tradisional nasi
lemak dan pulut panggang
sambal udang kering yang
menggunakan beras asli Brunei
sebagai ramuan utama.
44
MUHIBAH
BRUNEI TIMES
penyumbang terbesar dengan mencatatkan peratusan
paling tinggi dari jumlah keseluruhan pengeluaran
beras dunia.
Demikian juga di Negara Brunei Darussalam, nasi
merupakan komponen penting dalam gizi pemakanan
penduduk tempatannya. Selain menjadi makanan
ruji mereka, beras juga digunakan untuk membuat
kuih Brunei. Namun begitu, Brunei hanya mampu
menyediakan tiga peratus daripada keperluan rakyat
tempatan, dengan selebihnya terpaksa diimport dari
negara-negara lain. Bagi menjamin keselamatan
makanan negara dan memastikan bahawa Brunei
mampu mencapai sasaran sara-diri dengan
menampung keperluan makanan rakyatnya tanpa
mengharapkan negara lain, Brunei telah memulakan
rancangan pengembangan pertanian dengan sasaran
pengeluaran beras tempatan sebanyak 60 peratus
menjelang tahun 2015.
Langkah pertama yang diambil ke arah persediaan
penanaman padi dan pengeluaran beras tempatan
negara ialah dengan memperkenalkan sejenis
padi hibrid berhasil tinggi. Jenis padi yang dibawa
khusus dari Filipina ke Brunei ini hanya memerlukan
kitaran selama tiga bulan sebelum matang sebelum
bersedia untuk dituai. Pada awalnya ia dikenali
sebagai Brunei Darussalam Rice 1, atau BDR1, namun
ia kemudiannya digantikan dengan nama Beras
Laila, selepas pertandingan penamaan peringkat
kebangsaan diadakan.
Penanaman padi itu sendiri adalah satu bentuk
pertanian berintensifkan buruh di samping
memerlukan air yang banyak. Sebanyak 5,000 liter
air diperlukan untuk menghasilkan satu kilogram
beras, menjadikan tanaman ini paling sesuai dituai
di negara beriklim khatulistiwa ataupun kawasan
yang menerima hujan lebat sepanjang tahun;
walaupun tanaman padi sebenarnya mampu
tumbuh hampir di mana saja – di lereng bukit
yang curam mahupun di kawasan pergunungan.
Sawah padi yang tersusun di atas batasan teres
itu sendiri amat menakjubkan, terutamanya pada
saat matahari terbenam. Pemandangan yang
mengagumkan ini juga menjadi salah satu alasan
mengapa pelancong berulangkali melancong ke
Bali untuk melihat keindahan teresan padi dan
sawah bendang yang terbentang luas di sana.
Penanaman padi yang agak mudah di samping
daya tahan tanaman padi itu sendiri telah
membuatkan ianya menjadi pilihan popular bagi
petani. Memandangkan padi adalah tanaman asas
yang paling penting di negara Asia, sebahagian
besar pengeluaran beras dunia datang dari
negara Cina, Korea, India, Pakistan, Indonesia,
Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Filipina,
dan Jepun. Negara-negara Asia masih menjadi
Perkataan ‘laila’ sangat bermakna kerana ia
melambangkan kejujuran, kepuasan dan kedamaian.
Pemenangnya, Mardiah Haji Ramli, menyatakan
bahawa beliau pertama kali tertarik dengan istilah ‘laila’
setelah mendengar titah Kebawah Duli Yang Maha
Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah
Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan
Negara Brunei Darussalam, semasa pertabalan baginda
pada 5 Oktober, 1967. Setelah melakukan beberapa
kajian, beliau membuat keputusan menamakan beras
hibrid tersebut Beras Laila.
Beras Laila terbukti meningkat popular di kalangan
penduduk tempatan kerana ia boleh digunakan
untuk membuat pelbagai hidangan makanan dan
pencuci mulut. Dibandingkan dengan jenis padi
yang lain, Beras Laila mempunyai lebih nutrisi-mikro.
Malah jika dibandingkan dengan beras tempatan
yang lain, kandungan proteinnya juga lebih tinggi.
Bagi membantu mempromosikan beras istimewa ini,
Jabatan Pertanian dan Agrimakanan baru-baru ini
telah menerbitkan sebuah buku yang mengandungi
30 resipi yang berbeza menggunakan Beras Laila
sebagai bahan utama, sekaligus mendorong
penduduk tempatan mencuba untuk membiasakan
diri dengan bijirin baru ini.
MAY | JUNE 2011
45
FEATURE
Authenticity
Finding
The charm of Hong Kong is in the way
its past and present seamlessly exist to
create a whole new experience.
C
aught in the energetic pace
of the commuter scene that
signifies Hong Kong today,
it’s easy to think this city is all class and glass.
This bustling financial and commercial centre
does little to discredit that image too, with its
swanky skyscrapers and modern aesthetics
found lodged into every single available corner
of this space-deprived city.
What makes Hong Kong a compelling destination
is its ability to maintain its old charm amid the
chaos of commercialism. It can usher you into the
21st century as soon as you arrive at its doorstep,
yet peel the city’s outer layers and one could still
be transported to a charming Hong Kong filled
with tradition, culture and values.
46
MUHIBAH
ELIZABETH TAN
WORDS EMMA RAMSAY
In the heart of Kowloon on Nathan Road lies one
of the city’s most magnificent landmarks yet very
rarely spoken out aloud, particularly to tourists.
The locals know it only as a place best avoided
by visitors; its reputation for pickpockets and sly
individuals preceding it, swiftly putting an end
to any form of curious intent to explore it. But
Chungking Mansion’s notorious status is like the
proverbial haunted house whose name strikes
more fear than what’s actually in it.
The grey facade of Chungking Mansion, a complex
of five 17-storey towers, strikes a formidable
presence against the backdrop of Hong Kong’s
newer, and far more sophisticated buildings. An
afternoon exploration of its hallowed halls reveals
a labyrinth of tiny and cramped shops made even
giddier with its exciting cultural kaleidoscope.
THIS PAGE
Clockwise from top left: Hong
Kong’s skyline continues to
evolve merging the old and
new; sundry shops are still a
common scene though rare;
a typical shop selling everyday
goods behind Western
Market; Temple Street night
market resonates with the air
of a typical Chinatown.
OPPOSITE PAGE
Ethnic shops stand side by side with Pakistani
briyani outlets, Indian curry stalls, African clothes
retailers, and other hole-in-the-walls with exotic
offerings. It is estimated that over 120 different
nationalities pass through the Mansion’s doors in a
single year.
On the top floors, Chungking Mansion houses
about 100 backpacker-styled accommodation
and low-rent guesthouses that attract guests
from mainland China for its affordability. In fact
in the early 1960s, Chungking Mansion attracted
the Chinese from Shanghai and Fujian looking
for a better life in Hong Kong mainly because
of the inexpensive accommodation and in some
apartments, there still lives the elderly from
the mainland.
HONG KONG TOURISM BOARD
HONG KONG TOURISM BOARD
ELIZABETH TAN
ELIZABETH TAN
Exploring Hong Kong Island
on a tram is one of the
island’s best experiences.
This juxtaposition, hyperactivity and mix of cultures
that represent Hong Kong as a nation also made
Chungking Mansion the inspiration behind Wong
Kar-Wai’s 1994 film Chungking Express. It is also
one of the reasons why Chungking Mansion is an
engaging place to be for those looking for a slice
of old Hong Kong.
Once you’ve braved that, it’s time to step outside
and make your way to the harbour for the best
eight-minute ride (and view) of your life. A ride on
the Star Ferry is always thrilling no matter the time
of day. The earliest archived account on the ferry
dates to 1888 with a ride cross-harbour taking at
least 40 minutes to complete using coal-power
ferries. In 1933, the first diesel-powered ferry
was introduced. Today, many of the ferries, while
retaining their original names such as Morning
Star and Night Star, are powered by diesel-electric.
MAY | JUNE 2011
47
FEATURE
The ride is cheap, but the views are nothing short of spectacular. Take the
ride from Kowloon to get a widescreen view of Hong Kong’s iconic landscape
which will make you misty-eyed, too, for having witnessed one of the most
dramatic harbours in the world. Ride the lower deck and brush shoulders
with the morning rush hour crowd and the locals, or time your crossing with
the start of the nightly evening Symphony of Lights show at 8pm, when
major landmarks and buildings on both sides of the harbour light up to cast a
dazzling glow of colourful laser lights on the city.
Another constant reminder of Hong Kong’s past are the trams that run
through a broad swath of Hong Kong Island. Affectionately called Ding Ding
by the locals, the trams have been running the streets of Hong Kong since
1904. They are as important to the Hong Kong community today as they
were when they were first introduced, bringing commuters to work, school
and beyond. The rides themselves are very much a sensorial experience. With
large windows and a double-decker seating, you see the jungle of Chinese
culture unfolding on street level. Sitting on the upper deck, as the tram winds
its way past streets heavily laced with colourful signboards and neon signs,
you can almost reach out to touch the boards and their colourful lights. Smells
from the streets and restaurants circle the air, and on horseracing day, when
you take the tram to Happy Valley, the sounds and excitement cut across the
tracks so you can join in the day even from afar.
ELIZABETH TAN
If Hong Kong today is in the midst of a massive transformation, then nothing
best captures the spirit of old Hong Kong than at the Temple Street night
TOP
BELOW
It may not be much to look
at, but Chungking Mansion
is a plethora of adventure.
48
MUHIBAH
ELIZABETH TAN
Hullet House’s Victorian
architecture remains a
reminder of Hong Kong’s
colourful past.
HONG KONG TOURISM BOARD
HONG KONG TOURISM BOARD
Fondly known as the
Ding Ding, Hong Kong
Island’s trams still run
today since 1904.
market. At first glance, the market may seem like a typical set up for the
saucy-eyed visitor. But a closer look reveals a typical Chinatown scene,
rowdy on the edges with hustlers lurking in dark corners, Chinese opera
singers waiting to perform, old men sipping tea contemplating the next
move in a game of mahjong, and fortune tellers patiently waiting by the
roadside for anyone interested. The hawkers may flog anything from
counterfeit watches to made-in-China Manchester United t-shirts, but it’s
the peripheral scenes that best capture the real Hong Kong easily missed
cloaked under today’s glass and steel.
Conserving a slice of their heritage has also prompted the government
and various bodies to preserve many of the city’s architecture and
prominent landmarks. On Hong Kong Island, the Edwardian Western
Market is one of the oldest structures in Sheung Wan, dating back to
1906. With rapid development in the area, part of the former four-storey,
red-bricked market was destroyed. Those preserved were redesigned to
accommodate themed restaurants and boutique shops including a ‘Cloth
Alley’ selling silks and fabrics of all kinds. Similarly, the 1881 Heritage, a
unique colonial building with Victorian architecture, now stands proudly
on a small hillock on Canton Road revived as a mall and a hotel.
In a diverse city like Hong Kong, differing interests will always shape the
path of progression. Yet somehow, amid the wave of modernity, the city
still manages to balance the new with the old.
Royal Brunei Airlines flights to Hong Kong operate daily from Bandar Seri Begawan.
MAY | JUNE 2011
49
LIFESTYLE MOTORING
Overtly
Generous
Behind the wheels of the Peugeot 508,
everyone seems to sit a tad straighter and
feel just a tiny bit more sophisticated.
WORDS ANIS RAMLI
50
MUHIBAH
A
s far as coastal towns go, it doesn’t get anymore laidback than
Alicante. Spain’s famous Costa Blanca is fraught with the ideals
of a good life. Palm-lined pedestrian walkways and wonderful
boulevards all look out towards the city’s talc-fine sandy beaches; holidaymakers walk
in flip-flops, locals bicycle leisurely, and the air is wonderfully light with the relaxed
attitude typical of a seaside town. Which is why having us cruising in the grand looking
and spanking new Peugeot 508 had some giving us a bemused glance.
Imposing is perhaps too dramatic a word to describe Peugeot’s latest. But driving a big
French car in a quaint town such as Alicante does take some brave choices. For the car
maker, brevity though equals effective communication.
Peugeot announced that the 508 range is replacing its ageing 407 and 607. It doesn’t
matter that big cars are falling out of favour in Europe, except with corporate bigwigs
and cabinet ministers using them as company cars. The company is interested more
in the China market, the leading car market of the world, where it believes the car is
particularly well suited to local’s requirements. While models for the European market
continue to be produced in Rennes La Janais in northwest France, Peugeot has already
begun production of the 508 saloon in 2011 at its plant in Wuhan, China.
And there’s a lot to like with this big entry, with both a saloon and SW estate body
styles available.
MAY | JUNE 2011
51
LIFESTYLE MOTORING
Despite its size, the 508 is 45kg lighter than the
407. Its imposing looks are downsized by its
stylish-but-not-over-the-top design and luxurious
feel. Sitting in the cabin of the GT model, the
smart dashboard and elegant interiors easily
won points. Quiet comfort resonated all around
through the lush rear seats, refined aesthetics and
overall quality of the design.
Performance wise, the GT HDi 200 was the most
impressive, outstanding with its powerful 200bhp
2.2-litre diesel engine. It not only outperforms the
407’s 3-litre V6 diesel, but goes on to slash fuel
consumption and CO2 emission of its predecessor
by 30 percent. On the roads of Alicante, and
passing through the narrow streets and tight
corners of the outskirt villages, the 508 provided
a pleasant ride, balancing both road handling and
performance admirably. The model also benefits
from a double wishbone suspension, giving it a
sharper and more focused feel. On bumpy roads
– and there were no shortage of that on this test
drive – everything seems to hold. That’s not to say
the car floats like a butterfly, but it’s compliant
when it‘s required to be.
52
MUHIBAH
The other diesel-engine range that had our hearts
skipping a beat was the super-impressive 1.6 e-HDi.
With its stop-start technology that uses the electronic
Ecomatique transmission, Peugeot says the car will
reduce fuel consumption by up to 15 percent during
urban driving. The 508’s only petrol model is in 1.6s
in 120hp VTI and 156hp turbocharged THP form,
with the latter outputting 240Nm of torque and
emitting 150 grams of CO2 per km. Compared to
the GT HDi 200, the rest may look unimpressive, but
here’s where Peugeot surprises.
Unlike the 407 it replaces, the 508 is all quality from
top to tail. The car draws heavily upon the designs of
Peugeot’s SR1 Concept Car with all the modern and
new technological developments dressing every inch
of the vehicle. The hands-free access and start-up
system available on some models mentioned earlier is
savvy. So long as the ‘electronic key’ is within a 1.8m
range of the vehicle, whether in your pocket or bag,
you can simply enter the car and start and stop the
engine. Locking the car with the mechanism provides
a cool moment of Bond-esque proportions – you only
have to brush your hand over one of the handles to
lock it.
From Spain
to Rennes …
Established in 1961, the PSA Peugeot Citroen Rennes
plant in northwest of France is the only of the Group’s
facility dedicated to the production of upper medium and
executive segment models, built on Platform 3. The plant
presently produces the Citroen C6 and Peugeot 508 that is
built on the same platform.
To coincide with the launch of the Peugeot 508, PSA
Peugeot Citroen introduced a variable night shift at its
plant in Rennes in February 2011. To remain in place
for one year, it is intended to respond to ramp-up in
production volumes and fluctuations in demand. This is the
first time that this innovative work management practice
has been introduced in the French automobile industry.
Additionally, 14.3 percent of the 230kg of
polymers (excluding the rubber) used in the 508
are from ‘green’ materials. Compare this to the
six percent used in the 407 and you’ve got a car
that significantly minimises its carbon footprint.
The ‘green’ materials, produced from recycling or
materials that are natural in origin, are found in
roughly 30 vehicle parts or functions, including the
interior of the wheel housing, the rear bumper,
noise insulation, boot carpet, steering wheel,
seats, seat frames, engine cover and the air filter.
An additional 450 people have been hired on fixed-term
or temporary contracts and the Group expects business to
increase by around 60 percent in 2011. The Rennes plant
has four main lines: Stamping, body-in-white, paint and
assembly. In recent years, and to maintain the highest
standards in production, PSA Peugeot Citroen has added
two new workshops: An 18,500 sqm body-in-white unit,
employing 265 people, and a 38,500 sqm assembly line
with 560 employees. Vehicles are systematically checked
one by one to ensure they meet the high standards
customers expect regarding design, handling, comfort and
sound-proofing. In total ten hours of quality control are
spent on every executive vehicle.
PSA Peugeot Citroen is currently the largest employer
of the population of Rennes since it opened its
manufacturing plant.
Standard equipment across the range will include
ESP, ASR, hill assist, driver/passenger/side/curtain
airbags, alarm and deadlocks, air conditioning,
front and rear electric windows, a full size spare
wheel and front fog lamps. With Peugeot taking a
more classy and elegant approach to the 508, you
will not even miss the lack of optional driver assist
systems like lane keeping and blind spot warnings.
In the 508, Peugeot has kept it simple and not
overdressed; a very French thing to do indeed.
MAY | JUNE 2011
53
LIFESTYLE IN PERSON
Eloquent
Expressions
Pierre Rainero, Cartier’s
Director of Image, Style
and Heritage, speaks
about the maison’s distinct
style that has made the
brand timeless.
WORDS ANIS RAMLI
PHOTOGRAPHS CARTIER
54
MUHIBAH
Cartier has a long history of heritage
and creativity. How do you keep the
two relevant and the brand fresh
as Cartier moves forward into the
21st century?
The key notion is style. It’s what really
drives our activity from the beginning
till today. We are fortunate because
the founder, especially Louis Cartier,
the third generation of Cartier, had a
unique vision for style. He believed that
the notion of style could and should
evolve with time. At the same time
there is a paradox for every generation
and creation of Cartier: You recognise
a Cartier style, but you also see the
evolution linked to different generations.
This is quite unique in jewellery.
republic). How, if at all, has the
‘birth’ of a new France impacted
the founding of the brand and its
evolution?
This is a really interesting question.
When we think about what makes our
culture and why the founder had that
vision, we have to go back to the period
Cartier was born. It was the mid-19th
century where everything was looking
possible. It was the beginning of the
Industrial Era and political developments
that saw the forces of democracy at
work. It was also a time where there
were many revolutions taking place in
Europe. I would think that probably this
had an influence for Cartier to always be
prepared to face the future.
Cartier’s birth significantly dates
back to the beginning of Paris
as we know it today (the end of
a monarchy, the beginning of a
Cartier has no sense of nostalgia;
everybody is facing the future and
adapting to the times. We work on
the notion of an evolving world and
acceptance of this change, but also
of integrating into that permanent
evolution.
How would you describe the Cartier
style? Is there a specific and distinct
feature to it?
There are many, many different
expressions to Cartier, but the common
denominator to a Cartier style is
ultimately elegance. This theme is really
central: The constant search of beauty.
We do have our own vision of beauty
and elegance. It is expressed by a
definite sense of proportion and volume,
where every piece is conceived in three
dimensions. We don’t have a magical
recipe, but we urge our designers to
learn constantly and to stay in tune with
their time. Perhaps the best comparison
how we define our notion of style is to a
language. We have our own vocabulary
and grammar, but it’s our language.
MAY | JUNE 2011
55
LIFESTYLE IN PERSON
Creativity and Cartier are
synonymous with each other. You
were the first to introduce platinum
in jewellery to the world as well as
introducing the wristwatch. Are these
aspirations to remain the ‘first’ in
what you do important to the brand?
We are very happy if we happen to be
the first. But we are primarily preoccupied
with bringing something relevant and
go beyond the expected. When we first
worked with platinum, it was because
the metal itself was beautiful and
also permanent, but different. It allowed
the jeweller to shape the piece and
articulate it like never before.
For a long time, Cartier was a brand
linked to the aristocrats. Would you
say this is true even today? How does
that connection benefit Cartier in this
day and age?
I think Cartier interests people with the
same sense for elegance and you find
taste for audacious or beautiful pieces
in many different groups of people. It
is not linked to just one category of
society or nationality. The emotions
that Cartier pieces evoke can be shared
by many and from various cultures.
It’s not really true to say we were the
suppliers only to the aristocrats; indeed
amongst our customers there were the
rich and the famous, such as American
captains of industry, but also many
anonymous clients.
Do commissioned works today
continue to have the same aura,
enigma and prestige that was
apparent say, in the 1920s, when
people reminisce about the ‘Hindu
necklace’ (also known as Tutti Frutti)
of Daisy Fellowes?
First, because of confidentiality clause,
we cannot discuss the orders of our
customers. This is based on a principle of
trust that binds Cartier to its clients. In
addition, the special orders of today will
probably have its value known one or
two generations later.
56
MUHIBAH
Second, special commissions are a lot
about self expression. It’s not necessarily
linked to the evolution of our own
style. Daisy Fellowes ordered one of the
most important Tutti Frutti necklaces
in 1936, but this creative expression
was already in our showcase as early as
1925. Furthermore Lady Mountbatten
commissioned in 1928 a piece
representative of this style, presently
at the V&A Museum in London. The
purpose of a bespoke order goes beyond
a person’s audacity. It is the expression of
their feelings and personality. We merely
provide the style.
In 1984, Cartier decided to begin the
Cartier Collection, collecting pieces
that reflect the artistic and stylistic
creation of the brand. Why was such
a ‘project’ begun and what was
the objective?
Everything began with a decision
made in the 1970s to create an archive
department. It was revolutionary at that
time for a maison to keep its drawings
and created pieces. We believed that the
notion of style so central to Cartier could
only be preserved through the study of its
history. Once everything is archived, then
comes the time of the analysis.
In the 1980s, Hans Nadelhoffer, author
of Cartier and a jewellery expert, helped
us to realise that more than just drawings
and illustrations, only the actual and
antique Cartier pieces could show the
evolution of style and relate the story.
In undertaking such a massive project,
what is the scale and how much
research and work go into it? And, in
acquiring a piece for the collection,
does serendipity play a hand?
To that last question yes, I will say
resoundingly that luck plays a hand!
(Laughs). While we have our objective
to include specific pieces to our archive,
it wasn’t for us to decide what we can
get. Once a Cartier piece is sold, it leads
its own life and, in many cases, we don’t
know where to look for it. We were
lucky to have many opportunities in the
late 80s and the early 90s to be able to
add to our Cartier Collection pieces that
represented the various timeline in our
production. Today, we have 1,400 pieces,
more or less composed of 1/3 jewellery,
1/3 watches and clocks, 1/3 objects. We
didn’t plan it that way, it just happened.
As Director of Image, Style
and Heritage, tell us what you
personally find challenging and/or
interesting being involved in the
Cartier Collection.
For me it is a question of passion.
Cartier has an incredible history, many
different dimensions and various creative
directions, evolving with each generation.
Cartier is a union of cultures, influenced
at various stages by the Chinese, Indian,
and Russian cultures. It’s a never ending
story; you always discover new anecdotes
about a certain piece that someone will
tell you and that enriches your own
knowledge. It tells you how the brand
has been influenced over the decades
and how to progress in the future. I find
all this very interesting.
When one thinks of Cartier, they
usually associate it with jewellery.
But that is not the case, is it, for
Cartier has an incredible collection
such as timepieces, clocks, boxes and
décor pieces?
It’s good that Cartier is recognised first as
a jeweller, because every item we create
– whether it’s an accessory, a clock – we
create it with a jeweller’s eye. It goes back
to the quest for elegance and beautiful
proportions; I think that’s the philosophy
of the jeweller, whatever the object.
Increasingly, we see luxury brands
today associating themselves with
lifestyle events. Cartier remains a
loyal sponsor to polo and the recent
‘Travel With Style’ Concourse
d‘Elegance in India. How does the
brand benefit from such associations?
And how do you ensure your
selection of association maintains the
brand’s prestige and credibility?
We spoke about Cartier’s philosophy
and how we create our pieces. The same
criteria for elegance and style apply
to the values that we want to share
with our customers. The Concourse
d’Elegance in India, for example, is a sort
of metaphor. Our interest in elegant cars
reflects our values. It’s another way of
communicating who we are.
With the emergence of new luxury
customers in China many luxury
brands have visibly expanded its
market’s presence in the country.
Cartier today is the Number
One luxury brand in China. How
important is that market for you and
how do you see the brand grow?
The Chinese market is incredible, not
just because of the sheer number of
its population, but also through the
dynamism of the economy. For us, above
the economic potential, it’s very interesting
to see an immense culture for jewellery in
China that dates back 5,000 years.
How do you ensure the rapid growth
will not compromise the legitimacy
and credibility of Cartier or dilute the
brand’s image?
We rely on our own values and
philosophy. When Cartier opens a store in
a Chinese city, we show our entire range
of products, the same way we do in our
stores in France, United States or Great
Britian. There’s no difference, and it’s also
about respecting the Chinese client. We
stay faithful to what we are and that’s
the best service we can provide to our
customers worldwide.
We’re also very demanding. We aim at
the most elegant and stylish locations,
to open a store on the most beautiful
boulevard, always representing the best
of Cartier at all times.
With reference to consumers, is there
a difference between the tastes and
style of your Western and Asian
clientele?
As far as I can see, China today is a
market more drawn to classic pieces.
They like diamond jewellery, round
shaped watches, jade. There are also the
culture factors, the taste for yellow gold,
but we are also very successful in white
jewellery. I think also what’s fashionable
is very much linked to the different
stages of economy in society. This is just
the beginning of our presence. Chinese
customers’ taste will probably evolve as
with our collection.
The whole idea of a luxury brand
also translates to exclusivity. How do
you retain that aspect with lessons
learnt from the economic crisis of
two years ago?
Exclusivity has to be meaningful and
rely on really objective factors, such
as craftsmanship and creation. It’s an
extension of being faithful to yourself
during exceptional times. If the style
remains strong and exquisite, you will
always be desirable, regardless of the
economic circumstances.
What is it about Cartier that remains
enigmatic to consumers to this day?
It relies in the paradox I mentioned
earlier. People want Cartier’s creations
to be very Cartier, but at the same time
they wish to be surprised, so this creates
the enigma. To be Cartier all the time
and forever, to continue to search for
new creations and expression; that’s why
Cartier is Cartier.
MAY | JUNE 2011
57
LIFESTYLE THE BUZZ
New
What’s
Highlights and trends from around the globe.
CLOSET CASE
Long before there were uber or ‘It’ bags, there
was Goyard. The French-based company makes
bags and totes, distinctive through its signature,
interlocking chevrons, that have been the
choice of tastemakers and celebrities for over
150 years. These days, Goyard attracts those
in the know that prefer low-key luxury. Bags
can be monogrammed with initials, colorful
stripes or other symbols the customer may want.
The company does not roll out any seasonal
collection, preferring to remain faithful to simple
elegance, with bags that are timeless and never
go out of style.
PEOPLE POWER
Ask and you shall receive. When
customers, fans and watch enthusiasts
championed an aviation watch with a
retro design, Christopher Ward was
happy to oblige. The result: The C8
Pilot MK II. The watch combines the
design of the iconic B-Uhr watches
used by the Luftwaffe in the late 1930s
(and later the RAF) with an outstanding
contemporary specification. It also
shares the same automatic movement,
the famous ETA 2824-2 / Sellita
SW200-1, that can be partly seen
through an exhibition window.
www.goyard.com
www.christopherward.co.uk
GLASS ACT
LENS CRAFTERS
Fashion-forward eyewear enthusiasts no longer
need to look far for frames that inspire. Cartier
has just released the limited edition Santos-Dumas
that are making a noticeable splash among the
elite circle: An aviator shades with an emblematic
screw that punctuates the brushed metal of the
temples. They can also be worn with or without
the sharkskin nose piece. Still, for those looking
to make a bolder style statement, there’s also the
wooden frames with bold marquetry in precious
bubinga and Virginia tulip-tree woods.
www.cartier.com
58
MUHIBAH
Merging the fine art of traditional
glass blowing with modern
aesthetics, Peter Layton creates
individual pieces of decorative glass in
sculptural and functional forms. His
latest creation, the Turquoise Lagoon
Vase, has all the hallmarks of Layton’s
unique flair in combining colour,
form and texture. As with all his free
blown vases, any piece of Layton’s
art is both a collector’s item and an
investment piece.
www.londonglassblowing.co.uk
HERITAGE TALE
Inspired by the precious jewels and raw silks that once
travelled the Silk Road, Laura Mercier features a collection
that is rich and dramatic. Silk Road contains shimmering
shades of violet, neutrals and golds for eyes, roses for lips
and cheeks, you’ll have plenty of options for day or night.
www.lauramercier.com
FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION
Antler redefines lightweight bags with Liquis. The
22-inch carry-on weighs a mere 2kgs while the large
33-inch case weighs just 3.8kgs. And they’re a joy
to pull along, thanks to smooth-gliding wheels.
To achieve the perfect balance of toughness and
lightness, Liquis shell is crafted from the best, Agrade quality Polycarbonate. Its innovative wavy
texture not only turns heads, but enhances the case’s
remarkable strength.
www.antlerusa.com
URBAN DESIGN
With its cool minimalist style and clean lines,
the Architect Courier Bag by Filofax has all the
hallmarks of a contemporary classic. With a deep
colour and made of hardwearing leather, it’s the
bag that meets all your everyday needs – for work,
play and beyond. Lots of compartments and zipped
pockets for all your personal needs, and that
brushed metal feet – just makes this more stylish!
www.filofax.co.uk
HELLO KITTY
Look glamorous and
be blissfully spoiled as
you lounge in one of
Kitty Arden’s new silk
and velvet robes. The
multi-talented designer
of Prestat’s beautiful
chocolate boxes brings
her easy, bright glamour
to the home with
fabulous pieces you can
use around the house.
www.kittyarden.com
MAY | JUNE 2011
59
SARAWAK TOURISM
LIFESTYLE TAKE 5
60
MUHIBAH
MALAYSIA
TOURISM
Cat
City
The
SEE
Learn the country’s past history
at the Sarawak Museum.
Many exhibits are related to
Sarawak’s indigenous tribes
and cultural traditions, as well
as exhibits on local wildlife.
Another must see is the
Sarawak Cultural Village, a
showcase of various traditional
houses in different cultural
styles. Demonstrations of
traditional crafts are conducted
on site including dance shows
of Sarawak’s different tribes.
DO
Visit the Semenggoh Orang
Utan Rehabilitation Centre,
but before you do so, check
their feeding times in advance
so that you can catch them
in action. Another place to
note is the Bako National Park.
Established in 1957, it is the
oldest national and smallest of
all Sarawak’s national parks,
but teeming with abundant
wildlife. It’s also home to
approximately 150 endangered
proboscis monkeys, which are
endemic to Borneo.
SARAWAK TOURISM
SARAWAK TOURISM
TOURISM MALAYSIA
A modern city that holds on to its
cultural heritage, Kuching on the
romantic Borneo island, is full of
surprises for the visitor.
SHOP
Head to the Kuching Waterfront
Main Bazaar as this is the best
place for soaking in the city’s
vibes and for rubbing shoulders
with the locals. Not only can
you find fresh local produce
here, but also local delicacies,
handwoven tribal baskets,
rugs and delicate beaded
accessories. If you are looking
for the perfect souvenirs to take
home to friends and family, this
is the place.
STAY
Nestled in the heart of Kuching
is the Batik Boutique hotel.
It’s the ideal place for those
looking for fun and access
to all the tourist spots, yet
yearn for privacy. The entire
hotel is inspired by the batik
theme, in every corridor and
corner. Rooms are modern
with an LCD TV and an iPod
dock, and a host of exquisite
complimentary coffee for
guests to enjoy.
For more information, visit
www.sarawaktourism.com
Royal Brunei Airlines flights to
Kuching operate two times weekly
from Bandar Seri Begawan.
MAY | JUNE 2011
61
LIFESTYLE TRAVEL DIARY
SSALAM
BRUNEI DARU
31
May 2011
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www.bruneito
A world of adventure and
new experiences await you
when you fly with Royal Brunei
Airlines. Make your trip even
more memorable with free
flights, seat upgrades and other
privileges when you become a
member of Royal Skies, our
frequent flyer programme.
SARONG KEBAYA:
PERANAKAN
FASHION AND ITS
INTERNATIONAL
SOURCES
SINGAPORE
Now till
26
Feb 2012
Get ready for haute couture, heritage-style, as the Peranakan
Museum displays elegant and timeless Peranakan kebaya
in an exhibition that traces its origins through the centuries
across many cultures. On display will be rarities such as
early 18th-century kebayas, exquisite lace examples made
for Indo-European women from the Dutch East Indies, and
masterpieces of batik.
www.peranakanmuseum.sg
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
At the Moulin Rouge, 1892-93
Oil on canvas, 123 x 141 cm
The Art Institute of Chicago, Helen Birch
Bartlett Memorial Collection
21
CHINA
May 2011
UNITED KINGDOM
When ordinary roads and
trails do not satisfy, runners of
extraordinary calibre challenge
themselves to take on the
greatest man-made structure
ever built, the Great Wall of
China, in Tianjin province.
The 5,164 steps of the Great
Wall will challenge even the
most seasoned athletes.
The Marathon promises to
be tough, beautiful and an
extraordinary experience for
those up to the challenge.
www.great-wall-marathon.com
WWW.ADVEN
TURE-MARAT
HON.COM
THE GREAT WALL
MARATHON
16
18
MUHIBAH
Sep 2011
TOULOUSE-LAUTREC AND JANE
AVRIL: BEYOND THE MOULIN ROUGE
Nicknamed ‘La Mélinite’ after a form of explosive, the
dancer Jane Avril was one of the stars of Moulin Rouge
in the 1890s. Known for her alluring style and exotic
persona, her fame was assured by a series of dazzlingly
inventive posters designed by the artist Henri de ToulouseLautrec (1864-1901). London’s Courtauld Institute of Art
pays tribute to the artist, bringing together an exceptional
group of paintings, posters and prints from international
collections centred around the institute’s own painting Jane
Avril in the Entrance to the Moulin Rouge.
www.courtauld.ac.uk
62
June till
SABAH TOURISM BOARD
1-31
MALAYSIA
May 2011
KAAMATAN FESTIVAL
Sabah’s Kadazandusun and Murut communities come together to
celebrate a bountiful harvest. State-wide, celebrations include local
ethnic food tasting, colourful cultural dances and traditional sports
such as blow pipe, arm wrestling and racing on bamboo stilts. Don’t
miss the highly anticipated Unduk Ngadau beauty pageant! Log on to
Sabah Tourism Board’s website for listing of various locations.
www.sabahtourism.com
AUSTRALIA
11 -2
June
Oct 2011
SURREALISM:
THE POETRY OF
DREAMS
Judit Reigl
ni, 1950
tiable de l’infi
Ils ont soif insa
infinity)
tiable thirst for
(They have insa
m
97c
109 x
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rt moderne
sée national d’a
Collection: Mu
it Reigl/ADAGP
ou, Paris © Jud
1
Centre Pompid
201
,
ney
opy, Syd
Licensed by Visc
One of the world’s important collections of
surrealist art is shown at Brisbane’s Gallery
of Modern Art. Paris’s renowned Centre
Pompidou has loaned the core of its surrealist
collection for this exhibition, including more
than 180 paintings, sculptures, photographs,
works on paper and films by 56 artists,
dating from 1913 through the late 1970s.
Some of the artists featured include Salvador
Dalí, Max Ernst, René Magritte, Giorgio de
Chirico, Hans Bellmer and many more.
qag.qld.gov.au
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
21
NEW ZEALAN
D
Now till
8
May 2011
ARROWTOW
N
A
U
T
U
MN FESTIVA
Known nationa
lly and internat
L
ionally for
autumn
colours, the Ar
its breathtaking
rowtown Autu
attracts visitors
mn Festival
in droves. With
a backdrop of
buildings, herit
historic
age trees and
blue
festival has alw
ays been the pa sky, the focus of the
rade, with visito
the street to ge
rs lining
t a glimpse of
the floats, band
street entertain
s, cars and
ers.
www.arrowto
wnautumnfes
tival.org.nz
May 2011
AL GAFFAL LONG DISTANCE RACE
60FT TRADITIONAL DHOWS
The racing dhow with its unfurled sails carries with it the mystic of the Arabic heritage dating back
to the time when Dubai was known for its pearl merchants. During this period, Sir Bu Na’air Island
represented a strategic point for the pearl divers to stop and rest before continuing their journey
home after the long months at sea. The pearl trade gradually died out and the boats were left
largely unused and uncared for. Troubled by the fact, the late Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum
decided to revive the boats and their traditions by hosting a traditional dhow race. Since 1991, the
race has taken place every year and now attracts up to 100 60-ft dhows.
www.dimc.ae
MAY | JUNE 2011
63
WELCOME ONBOARD
Selamat Datang
Selamat Datang means
‘Welcome’ in Malay, and
your seamless Royal Brunei
Airlines journey begins here.
Business Class
In June 2010, the airline introduced its B777
Business Class cabins. Ergonomically designed
to offer a unique relaxing space, the Business
Class seat deploys into an angled full length
flat-bed which, along with a plush duvet and a
larger pillow, to offer peaceful sleep. Each seat
comes equipped with in-seat power connector
and a 10.4-inch personal TV.
Economy Class Comfort
Economy Class offers seats with a 32-inch
pitch, and ‘winglet’ headrests for improved
neck comfort. Onboard our 777 aircraft, the
seatback-mounted personal screen provides
on-going entertainment including video and
audio on-demand choices. All Royal Brunei
passengers enjoy the same caring service
from our ASEAN flight attendants, along with
skillfully prepared meals and a wide range of
inflight entertainment options to choose from.
SkyShow Inflight Entertainment
Royal Brunei’s SkyShow Entertainment system
gives passengers a number of entertainment
options throughout their flight. A library of hit
movies, classic Hollywood films and TV and
audio programmes for all ages are available
onboard. Refer to the SkyShow entertainment
guide booklet located in the seat pocket
in front of you for the list of movies, TV
and audio programmes. The sockets for
earphones and channel/volume remote control
are located in your seat armrest. Seatbackmounted personal screens are only available
on our Boeing 777s and on selected routes.
Elsewhere, passengers can avail our service,
sit back and relax with our overhead movie
screens. For more information, please contact
your nearest Royal Brunei Airlines office.
Flying High
As Brunei Darussalam’s national
carrier, Royal Brunei Airlines
serves not only as the coming of
age of this tiny Sultanate, but
today cements itself as a serious
competitor in the region.
64
MUHIBAH
Cuisine
Everything we serve has been carefully chosen
for freshness and flavour. In fact, there’s
nothing you can’t enjoy even when dining at
35,000 feet. Our award winning menu has
been meticulously created by our Royal Brunei
Catering chefs, combining both Western and
Oriental flavours using the best seasonal and
fresh produce available.
For our Business Class passengers on longhaul flights, you can now select your desired
meal times. Our ‘Dine upon Request’ service
is available throughout the flight up until
90 minutes before landing. Passengers on
all classes also enjoy our ‘Food Fit to Fly by’
service menu that features healthier and
lighter meal options, complemented by our
award-winning cabin service from our crew.
Alcohol-free Environment Policy
Royal Brunei Airlines operates alcohol-free
flights to all destinations.
1970s
1980s
• The maiden Royal Brunei Airlines
flight to Singapore left Bandar Seri
Begawan on a Boeing 737-200 on
14 May, 1975.
• RBA added a Boeing 737, the quick-change
convertible aircraft, to its fleet. This aircraft
allowed for either an all-passenger or an all-cargo
configuration or a combination of both.
• Two Boeing 737 aircraft were put
into service, flying five times a week
to Singapore, two times to Hong
Kong, three times to Kuching and
seven times to Kota Kinabalu.
• RBA accepted the delivery of its Boeing 757 aircraft
that featured redesigned livery combining Brunei’s
traditional Royal colours on 16 May, 1986.
• Services to Bangkok and Manila
were added in 1977.
Special Meals
Liquids, Aerosols and Gels (LAG)
Royal Brunei offers a variety of tasty culinary
solutions to suit our passengers’ special dietary
requirements. Special meals can be ordered
when you make your reservation; please
confirm your request at least 24 hours before
boarding your flight.
Various countries have implemented
restrictions on the carriage of liquids, aerosols
and gels in compliance with new guidelines set
by the International Civil Aviation Organization
(ICAO). Passengers transiting through airports
and carrying any liquids, pastes and gels
in containers over 100ml may be asked to
dispose of the items at security checkpoints.
Use of Electronic Equipment
These restrictions may affect your ability to
carry duty-free purchases onboard the aircraft.
Customers are advised to check with duty free
personnel before making their purchases. All
liquids, aerosols and gels must be carried in
containers of no greater than 100ml/3.3oz
capacity (approximately 100gm in weight)
and placed in a transparent, resealable plastic
bag. The plastic bag must be removed from
carry on baggage and presented to security
Mobile phones cannot be used at any time
during the flight. They should be switched
off as soon as the cabin crew makes the
announcement. Other electronic devices
included in this list are: Citizen’s band (CB)
radio, remote-controlled devices (such as
radio-controlled toys), and transmitting devices
that emit radio frequencies. These devices
may interfere with the aircraft’s electronic
equipment, compromising aircraft safety and
endangering the lives of passengers and crew.
Hand Luggage
For your safety and comfort, you may store
your hand luggage in the overhead lockers
or under the seat in front of you. Please
do not hesitate to ask our cabin crew for
help in stowing your luggage properly. Be
careful when opening the overhead luggage
compartments, as items dislodged by
aircraft movement may fall on you or fellow
passengers.
personnel at the checkpoint for inspection and
separate x-ray screening.
Exceptions to the new regulations are
medicines and dietary supplements needed
during a flight, including baby food. Proof of
need may be required.
1990s
2000s
• RBA took delivery of the first of three leased B767-200ER aircraft in
June 1990, enabling it to fly to London Gatwick in November 1990.
• RBA took delivery of two new Airbus A319
aircraft in August and September 2003.
• Services to Perth were opened on 29 January, 1991.
• Auckland was introduced to the network
as an extension of the Brunei-Brisbane
flights in October 2003.
• Twice-weekly flights to London Heathrow were started in May 1991.
The route became a daily service on 1 December, 1996.
• RBA started flights to Brisbane via Darwin. Three years later, direct
flights between Brunei and Brisbane were opened on 15 June, 1994.
• Two more Airbus A320s were delivered
in December 2003 and January 2004.
Today, RBA operates a fleet of six Boeing
B767-300s, two Airbus A320s and two
Airbus A319s.
• The opportunity to expand regional connections saw RBA
establishing a service to Surabaya in 1997.
• The inauguration of the three times weekly
flights to Ho Chi Minh City in May 2006.
• Employed the use of Fokker 50 to service Miri and Labuan, two
destinations important to the growth of Brunei’s oil and gas industry.
• RBA introduced Royal Brunei Holidays,
a revamp of its Golden Touch Holidays,
offering passengers value-for-money
packages for their holidays locally and
abroad in January 2010.
• Direct service to Shanghai re-launched in
March 2010.
• RBA’s newly-leased 777-200ER took off
on its first commercial flight from Bandar
Seri Begawan to London via Dubai in
June 2010.
• RBA commenced four times weekly
flights to Melbourne in March 2011.
MAY | JUNE 2011
65
WELCOME ONBOARD
The following devices may be used on board,
except during take-off, initial climb, approach
and landing: Personal computers, FM receivers,
calculators, electronic shavers, audio and video
recorders, hand-held computer games, and
playback devices.
Online Booking
Transit Tour Programme
Fly through the airport. You can now book
online at www.bruneiair.com, check in online
and print your own electronic ticket (e-ticket).
Online check in is available 24 hours before
flight departure and closes 60 minutes before
departure time.
A complimentary transit programme is
available for transit passengers arriving on
long-haul flights from London, Brisbane,
Perth and Auckland and transiting in Brunei
International Airport for more than five hours.
Non-smoking Policy
Royal Brunei Airlines operates non-smoking
flights to all destinations.
Reconfirmation
Reconfirmation is not required except for
passengers travelling to and from the Middle
East. Please reconfirm your departure flight at
least 72 hours in advance with the local Royal
Brunei Airlines office or your travel agent.
Failure to do so could result in the cancellation
of your reservations.
Check In
Check in counters at the Brunei International
Airport are open three hours before flight
departure. Passengers are advised to check in
at least two hours before departure to allow
for security and baggage checks. Check in
counters will be closed 45 minutes before
departure, after which no boarding passes will
be issued. Royal Brunei Airlines also advises
its passengers to reach the boarding gate 20
minutes before the flight departs to avoid
missing their flights.
Passengers wishing to join the tours can do
so by completing the Immigration Arrival
forms distributed inflight by RBA’s cabin crew
for entry clearance intro Brunei Darussalam.
Upon arrival, please contact our ground
staff at the transfer desk to register for the
transit programme. Please be advised that
seats are limited and RBA may not be able to
accommodate all requests.
Passenger Comments
Your comments and suggestions will help
us enhance our services. Please e-mail us at:
feedback@rba.com.bn
BRUNEI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Brunei International Airport’s computerised
passenger and cargo handling facilities can
handle 1.5 million passengers and 50,000
tonnes of cargo a year and the airport is
currently being expanded for traffic growth.
Among the facilities offered at the airport
are a prayer room, telephones and internet
services, restaurants, a viewing gallery and day
rooms for transit passengers who want to rest
or freshen up before flying.
66
For customers’ comfort and convenience,
Royal Brunei Airlines’ Service Centre and
SkyLounge are both located on the departure
level. The former is a one stop centre providing
services such as reservations, ticketing and
booking of tour packages. Customers who
book online can get their tickets here before
departure. Royal Skies members may also
redeem their miles here.
For Royal Brunei’s Business Class passengers
and Royal Skies’ Gold and Silver members,
the SkyLounge boasts plush seating for 120
people. Complimentary massage chairs,
shower rooms, ablution areas, and widescreen
plasma televisions are also available.
Duty-free shops offer consumer goods at
competitive prices. There are several outlets,
including a money changer, at the main
departure/transit hall. On sale are portable
electrical goods with international warranties,
designer goods, perfumes and confectionery.
WARNING!
AMARAN!
The trafficking and illegal import of controlled drugs are very serious
offences in Brunei Darussalam. The penalty for such offences is DEATH.
Mengedar dan membawa masuk dadah terkawal secara haram adalah
kesalahan yang amat berat di Negara Brunei Darussalam. Kesalahan
sedemikian membawa hukuman MATI.
MUHIBAH
Staying Fit
At Royal Brunei Airlines, your health, safety and comfort is of prime importance to us. For your
general well-being onboard our flights, we would recommend the basic inflight exercises.
Ankle circles
While seated, raise one foot
and draw a circle with your
toes. Rotate clockwise for
15 seconds and repeat the
same counterclockwise.
Repeat with the other foot.
You can do one foot at a
time or both simultaneously.
Knee lifts
Lift and hug your knee
to your chest as close
as you can. Hold for
15 seconds. Alternate
knee. Repeat 10-15
times for each knee.
Shoulder roll
Relax shoulders then
hunch them forward.
Rotate gently 10-15
times.
Neck roll
With shoulders relaxed,
drop ear to shoulder
and gently roll neck
forward and back,
holding each position
about five seconds.
Repeat five times.
Upper back flex
Stretch hands forward,
then pull back slowly
as far as possible.
Repeat 10-15 times.
Trunk flex
With both feet on the floor
and stomach held in, slowly
bend forward and walk your
hands down the front of your
legs toward your ankles. Hold
stretch for 15 seconds and
slowly sit back up.
TRAVELLER’S GUIDE Brunei Visitor Information
Visas Austrian, German, Malaysian,
Singaporean, British nationals with the
right of abode in the United Kingdom,
The Netherlands and New Zealand
nationals are exempted from the
requirement to obtain a visa for visits not
exceeding 30 days. American passport
holders can enter Brunei Darussalam for
three months without visas. For nationals
of Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France,
Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg,
Republic of Maldives, Norway, Oman, The
Philippines, South Korea, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Thailand and The Principality
of Liechtenstein — visas are waived for 14day visits. Nationals of Australia are issued
visas on arrival at the Brunei International
Airport for visits not exceeding 30 days.
All other visitors entering Brunei
Darussalam must have visas obtainable
from any Brunei Darussalam diplomatic
mission abroad. These visas are normally
issued for a two-week stay but can be
renewed in Brunei. Visitors must hold
onward tickets and sufficient funds to
support themselves while in the country.
N.B. For more details, please contact your
nearest Brunei Embassy or diplomatic
representative.
Duty-free Allowance The import of the
following products is subject to restrictions
imposed by Brunei’s Customs and Excise
Department.
Cigarettes: Passengers will be charged duty
on cigarettes of $0.25 tax per stick, equal
to $5 per pack of 20 sticks of cigarette,
and $50 for one carton of 10 packs.
Other tobacco products - Import duty
on other tobacco products has increased
significantly. Passengers will be charged
duty for the import of tobacco products.
Alcohol: Non-Muslim passengers may bring
in two bottles of liquor plus 12 cans of
beer for personal consumption only; and a
reasonable quantity of perfumes.
Transportation The airport is about 11km
from the capital. Taxis, car rentals and
buses are available.
Currency The Brunei dollar is on a par
with the Singapore dollar, which is also
accepted in Brunei. Banks, hotels and
many department stores will cash traveller’s
cheques.
Language Malay is the official language
but English is widely used. Other languages
include Chinese and its dialect variants
and other indigenous dialects. Although
the official religion is Islam, other faiths
including Christianity and Buddhism are
practised.
Clothing Light clothing is advisable as
the climate is generally warm and humid.
Women are requested to dress modestly in
keeping with local customs.
Health Doctors provide private medical
services for a nominal charge. There
are a number of state health clinics and
hospitals.
Credit Cards Hotels, department stores
and other major establishments generally
accept all internationally known credit
cards.
Hotels Accommodation in the capital
ranges from international standard to
middle range hotels. Service apartments
are also available at reasonable rates.
Tipping Optional. Some hotels add a 10
percent service charge to their room rates.
Shopping Department stores and shops
offer goods ranging from cosmetics and
stereos to local handicrafts such as the
keris (an ornamental dagger), miniature
brass cannons, and kain tenunan, a cloth
woven with gold or silver threads.
Telephones Overseas calls can be made
from hotel rooms through the operator, or
via international direct dialling (IDD). There
are also coin and phonecard operated
public telephones.
Utilities Power supply is 220 - 240v, 50
cycles. The PAL and NTSC systems are used
by local television. Tap water is generally
safe to drink although some take the
precaution of boiling it.
Media Radio Television Brunei has nightly
news bulletins and a range of popular
entertainment in both English and Malay.
Cable network and Malaysian television
programmes can also be received. There
are three local daily newspapers namely:
Borneo Bulletin (English), The Brunei Times
(English) and Media Permata (Malay). Other
regional and international publications are
also available at newstands.
Food For the adventurous, the food stalls
offer Malay favourites, such as satay
(barbecued meat on a skewer) and local
dishes prepared with curry or coconut milk.
Chinese, European and Indian cuisines are
also available.
Festivals and Celebrations National Day,
23 February, Hari Raya, the end of the
Muslim fasting month, and His Majesty
The Sultan’s birthday, July 15. Other public
holidays include Chinese Lunar New Year
and Christmas.
Customs and Courtesy
• In mosques, visitors should remove
their shoes and should not pass in front
of people at prayer. A woman should
ensure that her head, knees and arms
are covered before entering mosques.
Robes are provided at the entrance to
the mosque.
• A Bruneian shakes hands lightly and
brings his hands to his chest. Members of
the opposite sex do not shake hands.
• It is impolite to point with the index
finger (use the right thumb instead) or
to beckon someone with fingers and
palm facing upwards. Instead the whole
hand should be waved with palm facing
downwards. The right fist should never
be smacked into the left palm.
• Gifts, particularly food, are passed with
the right hand.
The visa and duty-free allowances are provided as a guideline and may change without notice.
MAY | JUNE 2011
67
WELCOME ONBOARD
ROUTE MAP & DESTINATIONS GUIDE
AUSTRALIA
BRISBANE (BNE)
BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Airport-City 22 kms
Approx. Fare from Airport to City
• Bus AUD8 • Taxi AUD35
Airport Tax AUD38
Currency Australian Dollar (AUD)
Language English
GMT +10
RBA OFFICE
60 Edward Street, Brisbane, Qld 4000
T: (61) 7 3017 5000
E: bnerba@rba.com.bn
MELBOURNE (MEL)
TULLAMARINE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Airport-City 22 kms
Approx. Fare from Airport to City
• Bus AUD16 • Taxi AUD85
Airport Tax AUD38
Currency Australian Dollar (AUD)
Language English
GMT +10
RBA OFFICE
Level 10, 45 William Street,
Melbourne, VIC 3000
T: 1300 721271
E: melrba@rba.com.bn
68
MUHIBAH
PERTH (PER)
PERTH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Airport-City 15 kms
Approx. Fare from Airport to City
• Bus AUD11 • Taxi AUD30
Airport Tax AUD38
Currency Australian Dollar (AUD)
Language English
GMT +8
RBA OFFICE
Level 6, London House
216 St Georges Terrace
Perth, WA 6000
T: (61) 8 9321 8757
E: perrba@rba.com.bn
BRUNEI
DARUSSALAM
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
(BWN)
BRUNEI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Airport-City 8 kms
Approx. Fare from Airport to City
• Bus BND1 • Taxi BND25
Airport Tax BND12, BKI: BND5
Currency Brunei Dollar (BND)
Language Malay, Mandarin, Hokkien,
English
GMT +8
RBA OFFICE
RBA Plaza, Jalan Sultan
Bandar Seri Begawan BS 8811
T: (673) 2212 222, 2240 500
F: (673) 2244 737
CHINA
HONG KONG (HKG)
CHEK LAP KOK AIRPORT
Airport-City 32 kms
Approx. Fare from Airport to City
• Taxi Kowloon HKD300, Hong Kong HKD400
Airport Tax HKD120
Currency Hong Kong Dollar (HKD)
Language Cantonese, Mandarin, English
GMT +8
GENERAL SALES AGENT
PACIFIC AVIATION MARKETING (HK) LTD
Rm 2505 Caroline Centre
28 Yun Ping Road.
T: (852) 3180 3232, 2869 8608
SHANGHAI (PVG)
PUDONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Airport-City 35 kms
Approx. Fare from Airport to City
• Bus CNY50 • Taxi CNY160
Airport Tax CNY90
Currency Chinese Yuan (CNY)
Language Chinese (dialects include
Mandarin, Shanghainese)
GMT +8
PASSENGER SALES AGENT
BEIJING LONGWAY INTERNATIONAL
Room 0, 22nd Floor, Zhiyuan Building
No.768 Xietu Road, Luwan District
Shanghai, China
Post code:200023
T: +86 2153027288
F: +86 2163047686
E: shasales@rba.com.bn
INDONESIA
JAKARTA (JKT)
SOEKARNO-HATTA INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT
Airport-City 50 kms
Approx. Fare from Airport to City
• Bus IDR7,000 • Taxi IDR150,000
Airport Tax IDR150,000
Currency Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)
Language Bahasa Indonesia, English
GMT +7
RBA OFFICE
World Trade Centre, 11th Flr
Jln Jenderal, Sudirman, Kav. 29-31
Jakarta 12920
T: (62) 21 5211 842-6/784
E: jktirzatis@rba.com.bn
SURABAYA (SUB)
KUCHING (KCH)
JUANDA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Airport-City 17 kms
Approx. Fare from Airport to City
• Taxi IDR29,500
Airport Tax IDR150,000
Currency Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)
Language Bahasa Indonesia, English,
Madurese
GMT +7
KUCHING INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Airport-City 11 kms
Airport Tax MYR26
Currency Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
Language Malay, English, Mandarin
GMT +8
GENERAL SALES AGENT
PT. SURYA NAYAGATAMA
Plaza BRI, 6th Floor Suite 611
Jl. Jend. Basuki Rachmat No.122
Surabaya 60271
T: (62) 31548 1819
E: SUBRBA@rba.com.bn
MALAYSIA
KUALA LUMPUR (KUL)
KUALA LUMPUR INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT
Airport-City 80 kms
Approx. Fare from Airport to City
• Bus Luxury RM25 • Taxi Budget MYR7080, Limo MYR100-120
Airport Tax MYR51
Currency Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
Language Malay, English, Cantonese, Tamil,
Mandarin
GMT +8
RBA OFFICE
Lot 25, 1st Floor,
UBN Tower (Shangri-la Shopping Arcade)
P.O. Box 99, Jln P. Ramlee
50250 Kuala Lumpur
T: (603) 2070 7166, 2070 6628
F: (603) 2070 6899
E: kulrba@rba.com.bn
KOTA KINABALU (BKI)
KOTA KINABALU INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT
Airport-City 8.5 kms
Approx. Fare from Airport to City
• Taxi MYR13.50
Airport Tax MYR26 To/Transit via Brunei:
MYR20
Currency Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
Language Malay, Mandarin, English
GMT +8
RBA OFFICE
Lot BG - 3B Ground Floor, Block B
Komplex KWSP, Jalan Karamunsing
8000 Kota Kinabalu Sabah
T: (60) 88 242 193/6
E: sskkoff@rba.com.bn
RBA OFFICE
L2L 10
Level 2, Kuching International Airport
P.O.Box 1070, 93722 Kuching, Sarawak
T: (60) 82 453 422 / 456 422
E: KCHRBA@rba.com.bn
NEW ZEALAND
AUCKLAND (AKL)
AUCKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Airport-City 21 kms
Approx. Fare from Airport to City
• Bus NZD15 • Taxi NZD60
Currency New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
Language English, Maori
GMT +13
GENERAL SALES AGENT
THE WALSHE GROUP
Level 6, 52 Swanson Street
Auckland 1010
T: (64) 9 9772 209
E: aklrba@rba.com.bn
PHILIPPINES
MANILA (MNL)
NINOY AQUINO INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT
Airport-City 9 kms
Approx. Fare from Airport to City
• Bus PhP13 • Taxi PhP120
Airport Tax PhP750
Currency Philippine Peso (PhP)
Language Tagalog, English
GMT +8
GENERAL SALES AGENT
GLOBAL AIR SERVICES CORPORATION
G/F SGV II Bldg, 6758 Ayala Ave
Makati City, The Philippines 1200
T: (632) 864-0801 to 05
F: (632) 891-0435
E: mnlres@rba.com.bn
SAUDI ARABIA
JEDDAH (JED)
KING ABDUL AZIZ INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT
Airport-City 25 kms (from North Terminal);
15 kms (from South Terminal)
Approx. Fare from Airport to City
• Taxi SAR50
Airport Tax SAR50 except Haj & Umrah
pax, diplomats and escorts for
human remains
Currency Saudi Arabian Riyal (SAR)
Language Arabic, English, French
GMT +3
GENERAL SALES AGENT
ELAF AVIATION
Al Nakheel Centre, Madina Road
Jeddah 21414
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
T: (9662) 6657143 / 6612679 / 6657908
E: JEDGSA@rba.com.bn
THAILAND
BANGKOK (BKK)
SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT
Airport-City 25 kms
Approx. Fare from Airport to City
• Bus BHT150 • Taxi BHT200-250
Airport Tax BHT700
Currency Baht (BHT)
Language Thai, English
GMT +7
RBA OFFICE
968, U Chu Liang Building, 17th Floor
Rama IV Road, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500
T: (66) 2 6375 151
E: BKKRES@rba.com.bn
SINGAPORE
SINGAPORE (SIN)
CHANGI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Airport-City 20 kms
Approx. Fare from Airport to City
• Bus SGD1.40 • Taxi SGD18
Airport Tax SGD21
Currency Singapore Dollar (SGD)
Language Malay, English, Mandarin, Tamil
GMT +8
RBA OFFICE
81 Clemenceau Avenue, #03-13
UE Square Shopping Mall
Singapore 239917
T: (65) 6235 4672
E: sinrba@rba.com.bn
UNITED
ARAB EMIRATES
DUBAI (DXB)
DUBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Airport-City 4 kms
Approx. Fare from Airport to City
• Taxi AED20 + 50 fils for every 500m
Airport Tax AED30
Currency Dirham (AED)
Language Arabic, English
GMT +4
RBA OFFICE
Ground Floor Shop No.5
Bu Haleeba Lamcy Building
319 Community
6B Street, Oud Metha Road, Bur Dubai
T: (971) 4334 4884/686
F: (971) 4334 4585
E: dxbrba@rba.com.bn
UNITED KINGDOM
LONDON (LHR)
HEATHROW AIRPORT
Airport-City 35 kms
Approx. Fare from Airport to City
• Bus GBP7 • Taxi GBP40
Airport Tax F & J Class Pax: GBP80;
Y Class Pax: GBP40;
PSC: GBP9
Currency Pound Sterling (GBP)
Language English
GMT +0
RBA OFFICE
49 Cromwell Road, London SW7 2ED
England, United Kingdom
T: (44) 207 584 666
E: lonrba@rba.com.bn
VIETNAM
HO CHI MINH CITY (SGN)
TAN SON NHAT AIRPORT
Airport-City 7 kms
Approx. Fare from Airport to City
• Bus VND2,000 • Taxi VND50,000
Airport Tax USD14
Currency Vietnam Dong (VND)
Language Vietnamese, Mandarin, English,
French
GMT +7
GENERAL SALES AGENT
WORLDWIDE AGENCY CO. LTD.
Fidi Tour Building, 4th Floor
127-129-129A Nguyen Hue Street, Dist. 1
T: (84) 8 3914 6868
F: (84) 8 3915 2265
MAY | JUNE 2011
69
WELCOME ONBOARD
Abode of Peace
Brunei Darussalam is a country rich in culture and heritage.
It is a small, peaceful, prosperous kingdom on the northern
shore of the ecologically-rich island of Borneo. Come and
discover Brunei, a Kingdom of Unexpected Treasures.
CAPITAL ATTRACTIONS
Small in size but big in attractions,
Brunei’s capital has lots to offer.
Brunei-Muara
1
2
THE OMAR ‘ALI SAIFUDDIEN
MOSQUE
Brunei is arguably best known today as an oil producing
country. The nation became independent in 1984 and,
thanks to its large reserves of oil and gas, now has one of the
highest standards of living in the world. Its population is just
over 370,000, made up of two-thirds ethnic Malay, with the
remainder being Chinese, Indian and other indigenous groups.
Brunei Darussalam’s iconic landmark,
the mosque was completed in 1958
and is named after the 28th Sultan,
the late Sultan Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien,
who is referred to as the Architect of
Modern Brunei.
The Sultanate has four districts: Brunei-Muara (which includes
the capital Bandar Seri Begawan), Temburong, Tutong and
Belait. ‘Darussalam’, the Arabic word for ‘Abode of Peace’
describes Brunei’s Islamic history that dates back some 1,500
years. Today, Brunei remains the world’s only Malay Islamic
Monarchy with an unbroken royal lineage that has ruled the
nation for the past 600 years.
ISTANA NURUL IMAN
The official residence of His Majesty
Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah
Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan and
Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.
Although not open to public, except
during Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, its golden
domes and vaulted roof can be viewed
from Kampong Ayer.
MUSLIM PRAYER TIMES in Brunei Darussalam
May 2011
Jamadilawal 1432 / Jamadilakhir 1432
Date
Hijriah
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
Day
Sun Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Imsak
4.39
4.39
4.38
4.38
4.38
4.37
4.37
4.37
4.36
4.36
4.36
4.36
4.35
4.35
4.35
4.35
4.34
4.34
4.34
4.34
4.34
4.34
4.34
4.33
4.33
4.33
4.33
4.33
Subuh
4.49
4.49
4.48
4.48
4.48
4.47
4.47
4.47
4.46
4.46
4.46
4.46
4.45
4.45
4.45
4.45
4.44
4.44
4.44
4.44
4.44
4.44
4.44
4.43
4.43
4.43
4.43
4.43
4.43
4.43
4.43
Syuruk
6.08
6.08
6.08
6.08
6.07
6.07
6.07
6.07
6.07
6.07
6.06
6.06
6.06
6.06
6.06
6.06
6.06
6.06
6.06
6.06
6.06
6.06
6.06
6.06
6.06
6.06
6.06
6.06
6.06
6.06
6.06
6.32
6.32
6.32
6.32
6.31
6.31
6.31
6.31
6.31
6.31
6.31
6.31
6.30
6.30
6.30
6.30
6.30
6.30
6.30
6.30
6.30
6.30
6.30
6.30
6.30
6.30
6.30
6.31
6.31
6.31
6.31
Doha
Zohor
70
1
Sun Mon
Tue
4.33
4.33
4.33
12.19 12.19 12.19 12.19 12.19 12.19 12.18 12.18 12.18 12.18 12.18 12.18 12.18 12.18 12.18 12.18 12.18 12.18 12.18 12.18 12.18 12.18 12.19 12.19 12.19 12.19 12.19 12.19 12.19 12.19 12.19
Asar
3.36
3.36
3.36
3.37
3.37
3.37
3.38
3.38
3.38
3.38
3.39
3.39
3.39
3.39
3.40
3.40
3.40
3.40
3.41
3.41
3.41
3.42
3.42
3.42
3.42
3.43
3.43
3.43
3.43
3.44
3.44
Maghrib
6.27
6.27
6.27
6.27
6.27
6.27
6.27
6.27
6.27
6.27
6.27
6.27
6.27
6.27
6.27
6.27
6.27
6.28
6.28
6.28
6.28
6.28
6.28
6.28
6.29
6.29
6.29
6.29
6.29
6.30
6.30
Isyak
7.38
7.38
7.39
7.39
7.39
7.39
7.39
7.39
7.39
7.40
7.40
7.40
7.40
7.40
7.41
7.41
7.41
7.41
7.42
7.42
7.42
7.42
7.43
7.43
7.43
7.43
7.44
7.44
7.44
7.44
7.45
MUHIBAH
3
6
7
8
THE ROYAL REGALIA
BUILDING
TAMU KIANGGEH
Tutong
9
10
The Tamu, or open air market, on
the banks of the Kianggeh River is a
popular local market for traditional
dishes, fruits, vegetables, flowers and
handicrafts.
The museum is home to a collection
of royal regalia, including the royal
chariot, gold and silver ceremonial
armoury, the jewel encrusted crowns
used during the coronation and a
replica of the throne, which is used by
the Sultan on state occasions..
KAMPONG AYER
TASEK MERIMBUN
Brunei’s largest lake that curves in an
‘S’ has an island in the centre accessible
via a wooden walkway and various
facilities for picnics and recreation.
Belait
The world’s largest water village that
is home to more than 30,000 people
living on unique wooden houses on
stilts over the Brunei River.
4
5
LAPAU AND DEWAN MAJLIS
The Royal Ceremonial Hall features
an exquisite golden dome and hosts
all of the Sultanate’s traditional royal
ceremonies.
OIL & GAS DISCOVERY
CENTRE
An ‘edutainment’ facility, this
interactive science centre aims to make
science exciting and accessible to all
with more than 100 hands-on exhibits
in themed areas to explore.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
Temburong
THE SULTAN HAJI
HASSANAL BOLKIAH
FOUNDATION COMPLEX
ULU TEMBURONG
NATIONAL PARK
Explore Brunei’s lush virgin forest
through lofty canopy walkways, scenic
hiking trails and a thrilling river ride to
the park on the Temburong River.
The capital’s most popular shopping
venues, it combines both traditional
Malay and modern architecture.
For more information on Brunei, email:
info@bruneitourism.travel
June 2011
Jamadilakhir 1432 / Rejab 1432
Date
Hijriah
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
28
29
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
Day
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Imsak
4.33
4.33
4.33
4.33
4.33
4.33
4.33
4.33
4.33
4.33
4.34
4.34
4.34
4.34
4.34
4.34
4.34
4.35
4.35
4.35
4.35
4.35
4.36
4.36
4.36
4.36
4.37
4.37
4.37
4.37
Subuh
4.43
4.43
4.43
4.43
4.43
4.43
4.43
4.43
4.43
4.43
4.44
4.44
4.44
4.44
4.44
4.44
4.44
4.45
4.45
4.45
4.45
4.45
4.46
4.46
4.46
4.46
4.47
4.47
4.47
4.47
Syuruk
6.06
6.06
6.06
6.06
6.06
6.07
6.07
6.07
6.07
6.07
6.07
6.07
6.08
6.08
6.08
6.08
6.08
6.09
6.09
6.09
6.09
6.09
6.10
6.10
6.10
6.10
6.11
6.11
6.11
6.11
Doha
6.31
6.31
6.31
6.31
6.31
6.32
6.32
6.32
6.32
6.32
6.32
6.33
6.33
6.33
6.33
6.33
6.34
6.34
6.34
6.34
6.34
6.35
6.35
6.35
6.35
6.36
6.36
6.36
6.36
6.36
Zohor
12.20 12.20 12.20 12.20 12.20 12.20 12.21 12.21 12.21 12.21 12.21 12.22 12.22 12.22 12.22 12.22 12.23 12.23 12.23 12.23 12.23 12.24 12.24 12.24 12.24 12.25 12.25 12.25 12.25 12.25
Asar
3.44
3.45
3.45
3.45
3.45
3.46
3.46
3.46
3.47
3.47
3.47
3.47
3.48
3.48
3.48
3.48
3.49
3.49
3.49
3.49
3.50
3.50
3.50
3.50
3.50
3.51
3.51
3.51
3.51
3.51
Maghrib
6.30
6.30
6.30
6.31
6.31
6.31
6.31
6.32
6.32
6.32
6.32
6.32
6.33
6.33
6.33
6.33
6.34
6.34
6.34
6.34
6.35
6.35
6.35
6.35
6.35
6.36
6.36
6.36
6.36
6.36
Isyak
7.45
7.45
7.46
7.46
7.46
7.47
7.47
7.47
7.47
7.48
7.48
7.48
7.48
7.49
7.49
7.49
7.50
7.50
7.50
7.50
7.50
7.51
7.51
7.51
7.51
7.51
7.52
7.52
7.52
7.52
MAY | JUNE 2011
71
Welcoming THE BRUNEI TECHNOLOGY EXPO 2011
ADVERTORIAL
A significant event that took place in 2010 was the
launching of the first-ever technology exposition (TechXpo)
in Brunei Darussalam. Featuring technologies including
those utilised in homes, industries, and the government,
the TechXpo has established itself as the perfect venue to
showcase different types of technologies, particularly the
latest emerging technologies, to the Brunei community.
Participating in the TechXpo 2010 were IT-related companies
from Brunei, China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and the
United States, in firm confirmation of the TechXpo as a
premier international exposition.
Building on the great success of the TechXpo 2010, the
TechXpo 2011 is certainly a much-anticipated event by both
IT-related establishments and the general public alike. Slated
for 27 – 30 October, 2011 at the International Convention
Centre, TechXpo organiser InfoCom Federation Brunei (IFB) is
determined to bring in even more sophisticated technology
products such as android and phone applications. Green
technology will also be highlighted at the TechXpo 2011
in order to further instil the fundamental idea of striking
a balance between technological advancement and the
sustainability of our natural wealth and resources.
His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee
Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister
at the Prime Minister’s Office, watching
a video conferencing demonstration.
Other featured technologies at TechXpo
2010 included IT-related products,
electrical appliances, telecommunication,
transportation, computer software and
solutions.
‘Tomorrowland’ Theme Park: One of
the many attractions that enthralled
visitors at the expo, it featured ‘Dinsow,’
the first humanoid robot developed in
Thailand. Other activities during the
expo included remote control car racing,
robotics competitions, the Technology
Updates talks, and IT literacy training
from Microsoft. The expo drew in over
51,000 visitors.
More information on the TechXpo may be found at
www.techxpobrunei.com and queries may be sent to
techxpobrunei@sunlitadvertising.com.
MIND TEASERS
Sudoku
2
1. Which part of the atmosphere screens out the harmful radiation
from the sun?
9
7
2 3 4
5
4
1
8
7
9
9
2 3 4
6
7
1
2
8
9
7
5
1
6
8
9
2
4
1
6
4
8
5
9
1
7
2
6
2
5
4
8
6
8
3
1
3 1 8 6 7 5
7 2 5 4 3 9
Solution
Answers
MUHIBAH
4
1. The Ozone layer
2. The Control of Pollution Act
3. Sulphur dioxide
4. Biodegradable
5. Benzene
6. Alternative energy
7. Catalytic converters
8. Biological control
9. Nitrate
10. Extinction
72
7
10. What is the term for the complete disappearance of a species?
2
9. What nitrogen containing chemical in artificial fertilisers can cause
pollution?
6
8. What is the term used for pest control by natural predators?
2
9
7. What is the name of the device fitted to car exhausts to reduce
pollution?
5 1 8
4
3 8 6 1
3
6. What is the term used to describe renewable ecologically safe
sources of energy?
5
5. What cancer causing chemical is found in unleaded petrol?
5
2 9 5 7
3
6
5 1 8 9 4 2
7
4 3 8 6 1
4. What is the term used for something that will break down naturally?
© 2011 sudokucollection.com
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3. What gas emitted by power stations causes acid rain?
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2. Which 174 English Act of parliament was designed to protect the
Environment?
3 1 8 6
2
4 3 9
6
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How environmentall savvy are you?
Find out with our trivia quiz as we mark the
11th anniversary of World Environment Day
on 5 June, 2011.
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Down to Earth
Dorchester Collection hotels are landmarks of individuality, prestige and comfort with peerless reputations that continue to attract royalty,
dignitaries, celebrities, and an international set accustomed to the finer things in life. No matter where you stay each of our hotels offers a rich
and unique provenance. See dorchestercollection.com
The Dorchester
The Beverly Hills Hotel
Le Meurice
Hôtel Plaza Athénée
Hotel Principe di Savoia
The New York Palace
Hotel Bel-Air
Coworth Park
45 Park Lane
LONDON
BEVERLY HILLS
PARIS
PARIS
MILAN
NEW YORK
LOS ANGELES
ASCOT
LONDON
MAY | JUNE 2011
SHORT AND SWEET
UNITED KINGDOM
FINDING AUTHENTICITY
HONG KONG, PRC
NORTHERN GEMS
THAILAND
THE EMBODIMENT OF ELEGANCE
FRANCE
Inflight Magazine of Royal Brunei Airlines • May/June 2011
www.bruneiair.com