As appeared in Features
The Brunei Times -- Aug 25, 2007
SARAWAK'S northernmost town of Lawas usually suffers alienation due to its location, lack of size and infrastructure and from being just a spit of land between Brunei's Temburong and Sipitang in Sabah.
Travellers taking the road between Sabah and Brunei and further to the main body of Sarawak, have no real cause to stop in Lawas. Just two hours from the Sabah border and they're already in Temburong; another hour and they can stop in the bigger town of Limbang.
Last weekend, however, it was the place to be, as the biannual Lawas Fest turned the sleepy town into a hotbed of entertainment, competition and, ironically, camaraderie between neighbours who usually eye each other over the border hedge holding pitchforks. Figuratively speaking, of course.
The first sign of this link between the districts, separated for more than 100 years after the ceding of territories, is the theme of the Lawas Fest: "Maitah ke Lawas: Bisai Hantap, Ma Taga"
Some of you are nodding in understanding. But for those not in the know, it's an amalgamation of the three main dialects spoken in the area: Brunei Malay, Kedayan and Murut (otherwise known as Lun Bawang). Maitah Ke Lawas in Brunei Malay means "Come to Lawas" while Bisai Hantap is Kedayan and Ma Taga is Murut for "It's very interesting".
Pretty diverse for a small area with only 40,000 people, but that's Lawas, the last Brunei territory to be ceded to the Brooke administration in 1905.
The cleaving of the territories has since created great rivalries, especially in the sporting arena, which fits very well, of course, into the excitement of such a festival. Otherwise, there would be no hollering of encouragement and insults, no aching bodies, no sweat exerted for pride as teams from the territories of Limbang, Lawas, Beaufort, Sipitang, Papar and Brunei Darussalam battled it out in the regatta, top-spinning and the always popular tug-of-war.
And certainly no ringing of event venues with thousands of bodies, a sight which was impressive as the regatta went on -- hundreds of metres of river bank, on both sides of Batang Lawas, 10-deep with screaming spectators.
The excitement of the competition was even more, at times, than the entertainment offered at the three-day festival. Traditional dances, a police brass band, VIPs being pulled into dancing the "poco-poco" and a clown with balloons kept the visitors occupied on the first day in between events and trips to the food stalls, while the second day featured a concert and a fireworks display.
An event that was both entertaining and competitive was, of course, the bull race, a wholly local pursuit which was a crowd puller.
Laughingly called the Formula One (and Formula Two) bull race, the running of the beasts, with riders sometimes struggling not to slide off, was fun to watch not for the outcome, but for the handling of the ornery creatures.
Bulls are not racers by nature, and there is no one method which works in making the lumbering beasts head quick-time for the finish line, especially if you've created a track with corners. Some of the "cowboys" managed to get the bulls to go by pulling on their nose rings and tails at the same time, but that doesn't allow a free hand to steer. Some of the bulls only wanted to go in a straight line, and at the corner, the riders had to get down to change their bulls' direction by tugging on the rope attached to their nose rings.
Not too easy with some of the contestants, either, as they could see beyond the rope barriers a shady spot under a tree to munch grass, and headed for it with typical bull-headedness, pulling handlers off their feet in the process.
It was also a lesson in bull race engineering: the biggest bulls don't always win. They got to that size by sitting around eating, after all; those streamlined, aerodynamic models can go ahead and run and I'll just stand here looking very alpha-male, thank you very much.
The climax of the competition was, as usual, the tug-of-war, known here as tarik kalat.
A straight fight based on strength and determination, the men (and women, except in Brunei's case) competitors were heaving for pride and for glory, with supporters and spectators going for broke with their screaming probably heard all the way in the next district.
And in the final showdown for the title, with Brunei's eight brawny heroes taking on Limbang's men, the "neutral" spectators, those without their own teams to root for, were wholly behind the two teams.
It was a form of respect, in truth, for those who had gone far in the fight, and this encapsulated all that was good and great about the Lawas Fest a fostering of neighbourly ties.
The biannual fest is also part of Sarawak's plans to develop Lawas, the furthest town from capital Kuching -- all of 1,200km away -- bringing more attention to the area as the gateway to the northern part of the state. From there the highlands of Bario and Ba'kalalan are a mere six to nine hours by road, and more infrastructure is sure to improve Lawas's chances in the tourism industry.
A recent RM800 million ($364 million) budget from the Federal and State governments will go a long way to achieving that aim, which can only be strengthened by the organising of such events like the Lawas Fest.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Who is this woman you call Mother?
As appeared in MyTake
The Brunei Times -- May 13, 2007
SHE'S the one who mops your brow when you're feverish, prepares your meals everyday, shuttles you to school like Michael Schumacher on caffeine, and sometimes sets down the law like a policewoman. But what do you really know of the woman you call Mum as a person?
Does she have a wicked sense of humour? Is she the life of a party, is she financially generous with family and friends, loaning money out to any and everyone in need? Is she remembered fondly by everyone she has ever met or do people cross to other side of the street when they see her coming?
It's often funny for children to grow up thinking that Mum is a set of things only to find out later that she's more than the woman who is at home all day catering to the family's needs or one who rushes around getting things done and disappears for hours at work.
And sometimes children don't even discover the woman who's Mum -- I didn't for years, since she passed away when I was a teenager, and did only because circumstances took me into her circle of friends from work.
My mum died in 1989. She was the woman I knew who worked odd hours as part of the Malaysian National News Agency, Bernama, had three kids, drove her own car, had a bit of a temper, suffered cats because the children liked them and was close to her siblings. Not much at all, really.
Then I grew up away from the family, in boarding school and abroad, and only had glimpses of her life from my holidays spent with aunts and uncles, where they would sometimes speak of their lives in younger days. I learned how she got into the newspaper business, working first for the Malay broadsheet Utusan Malaysia, where they swear she coined the word andartu to refer to the unmarried older woman, and then moving to Bernama.
Having finished with my formal education, I booted around career ideas and decided to try my hand at journalism too, joining a newspaper for about three years before landing at Bernama.
They were still there, some of my mum's oldest friends, and though they didn't recognise me at first, soon came to know my connection to the woman they had missed all those years. I even found someone who's related to my father in a distant way.
And yes, my mother had a wicked sense of humour indeed. Once on a whim, she filed a story "from the field" about a man eaten by a crocodile, and included quotes from the reptile itself about what had happened. And it almost went out on the wires except for the fact that someone noticed the talking crocodile and realised it was a joke.
She was friendly with everyone, bosses or runaround boys alike, and was generous to a fault with everyone, doling out loans and advice to those in need of assistance. Once she even gave a lift to a heavily pregnant woman and her husband who were trying to get to hospital and had been refused by taxis fearing she'd soil the seats.
I admit it was a bit unnerving to be accosted by people wanting to share their memories, as I could not help being compared with this saint of a woman who could do no wrong.
But then, it was an eye-opener as I realised you could never really know a woman just from the persona she puts on at home -- as a stay-at-home mum she's probably not the same woman who hangs out with her girlfriends, as a tyrannical disciplinarian at home she could be mellow and cool among her workmates.
You can hardly find out about these things by asking Dad, either, as cultural norms dictate that there are many taboo subjects within families, asking personal details about your parents being one of them.
So basically it's down to guesswork and observation, and really, you should take the chance to know your mother, especially on this opportune Mother's Day. Take her out, engage her in a conversation, treat her like a cherished friend — today is a good day as any to begin another level of relationship with her, your mother, especially before it's too late.
The Brunei Times -- May 13, 2007
SHE'S the one who mops your brow when you're feverish, prepares your meals everyday, shuttles you to school like Michael Schumacher on caffeine, and sometimes sets down the law like a policewoman. But what do you really know of the woman you call Mum as a person?
Does she have a wicked sense of humour? Is she the life of a party, is she financially generous with family and friends, loaning money out to any and everyone in need? Is she remembered fondly by everyone she has ever met or do people cross to other side of the street when they see her coming?
It's often funny for children to grow up thinking that Mum is a set of things only to find out later that she's more than the woman who is at home all day catering to the family's needs or one who rushes around getting things done and disappears for hours at work.
And sometimes children don't even discover the woman who's Mum -- I didn't for years, since she passed away when I was a teenager, and did only because circumstances took me into her circle of friends from work.
My mum died in 1989. She was the woman I knew who worked odd hours as part of the Malaysian National News Agency, Bernama, had three kids, drove her own car, had a bit of a temper, suffered cats because the children liked them and was close to her siblings. Not much at all, really.
Then I grew up away from the family, in boarding school and abroad, and only had glimpses of her life from my holidays spent with aunts and uncles, where they would sometimes speak of their lives in younger days. I learned how she got into the newspaper business, working first for the Malay broadsheet Utusan Malaysia, where they swear she coined the word andartu to refer to the unmarried older woman, and then moving to Bernama.
Having finished with my formal education, I booted around career ideas and decided to try my hand at journalism too, joining a newspaper for about three years before landing at Bernama.
They were still there, some of my mum's oldest friends, and though they didn't recognise me at first, soon came to know my connection to the woman they had missed all those years. I even found someone who's related to my father in a distant way.
And yes, my mother had a wicked sense of humour indeed. Once on a whim, she filed a story "from the field" about a man eaten by a crocodile, and included quotes from the reptile itself about what had happened. And it almost went out on the wires except for the fact that someone noticed the talking crocodile and realised it was a joke.
She was friendly with everyone, bosses or runaround boys alike, and was generous to a fault with everyone, doling out loans and advice to those in need of assistance. Once she even gave a lift to a heavily pregnant woman and her husband who were trying to get to hospital and had been refused by taxis fearing she'd soil the seats.
I admit it was a bit unnerving to be accosted by people wanting to share their memories, as I could not help being compared with this saint of a woman who could do no wrong.
But then, it was an eye-opener as I realised you could never really know a woman just from the persona she puts on at home -- as a stay-at-home mum she's probably not the same woman who hangs out with her girlfriends, as a tyrannical disciplinarian at home she could be mellow and cool among her workmates.
You can hardly find out about these things by asking Dad, either, as cultural norms dictate that there are many taboo subjects within families, asking personal details about your parents being one of them.
So basically it's down to guesswork and observation, and really, you should take the chance to know your mother, especially on this opportune Mother's Day. Take her out, engage her in a conversation, treat her like a cherished friend — today is a good day as any to begin another level of relationship with her, your mother, especially before it's too late.
Plucking up interest in learning the guitar
As appeared in Hobbies
The Brunei Times - May 4, 2007
GUITARS are the stuff of romance. So it seems, from movies with guys serenading their love interests with their trustee classical guitars to books featuring women swooning at the plucking of strings that also pluck at their hearts. No, really.
I suppose that's why in a survey by Men's Health magazine, two in three men said they had taken music lessons once in their lives and the instrument they typically "abused" was the guitar.
And that's why wandering along the streets of Amsterdam, I gravitated to a group of youths with guitars music transcends languages, especially if you don't know the words.
Guitars are also the basic instrument in almost any kind of music, and solos, especially those riffs on a fabulous Fender Strat in the arms of a rock band member, can raise your heartbeat and drive groupies to distraction.
The guitar also has the appeal of being quite an easy instrument to learn to play. You can even learn by going through books or surfing sites on the Internet, says Pat Nicodmus Goh, a draughtsman who has been playing the guitar since a young age.
"I started out just plucking at the strings and later picked up some pointers from books," he says. When easy access to the Internet came around, he made use of the world wide web to troll for free lessons.
And they are aplenty. A look at about.com will give you a link to "hobbies and games" and a section dedicated to guitars, with articles from "guitar buying 101" and "guitar lessons by email" to "beginner guitar lessons" by resident expert Dan Cross.
Recent 'A' Level graduate Viviana Metussin, who has been utilising her spare time learning the guitar at www.ultimate-guitar.com, says such sites offer simple and clear instructions with the added bonus of popular songs with their accompanying chords, making learning an instantly gratifying process.
"The drawback, though," Viviana says, "is that you may lose interest." She adds that taking up classes in the basic stages may speed up progress as an expert is on hand to track your performance and correct mistakes.
However, businessman Del Goh thinks otherwise, saying it could be better for beginners to learn from the Net if they are unsure whether they are really serious about the hobby.
And cost is certainly a factor. Contessa Music Centre in Gadong offers guitar lessons, from beginner to advanced levels, including the "rocker" mode, at $60 a month for a 30-minute class once a week. Onnie Perez of Contessa says the centre has had about 30 students of all ages in the past six months, though he admits not all came back for lessons after a while.
The dropout rate may not just be about expenses, though, as Viviana explains, "I would love to go for classes if I had the time for them."
But cost is still a factor, and not just regarding lessons. A good guitar can set you back a few hundred dollars and a hand-crafted one can be in the thousands, though you can purchase a starter for $80 at Contessa. Perez says he often advises beginners to start with an inexpensive model and work their way up to the better ones if they really love the hobby.
And as we speak in the shop, which has a number of classical, folk, acoustic and electric guitars, a businessman comes in to buy one for his daughter. A quick discussion and he pays for an inexpensive acoustic guitar, which he says is a requirement since his daughter's school started offering guitar lessons.
"It's not too bad," he says of having to buy an instrument that his daughter may or may not like, especially when she is already learning to play the piano. "It keeps them from being too wrapped up in computer games."
The Brunei Times - May 4, 2007
GUITARS are the stuff of romance. So it seems, from movies with guys serenading their love interests with their trustee classical guitars to books featuring women swooning at the plucking of strings that also pluck at their hearts. No, really.
I suppose that's why in a survey by Men's Health magazine, two in three men said they had taken music lessons once in their lives and the instrument they typically "abused" was the guitar.
And that's why wandering along the streets of Amsterdam, I gravitated to a group of youths with guitars music transcends languages, especially if you don't know the words.
Guitars are also the basic instrument in almost any kind of music, and solos, especially those riffs on a fabulous Fender Strat in the arms of a rock band member, can raise your heartbeat and drive groupies to distraction.
The guitar also has the appeal of being quite an easy instrument to learn to play. You can even learn by going through books or surfing sites on the Internet, says Pat Nicodmus Goh, a draughtsman who has been playing the guitar since a young age.
"I started out just plucking at the strings and later picked up some pointers from books," he says. When easy access to the Internet came around, he made use of the world wide web to troll for free lessons.
And they are aplenty. A look at about.com will give you a link to "hobbies and games" and a section dedicated to guitars, with articles from "guitar buying 101" and "guitar lessons by email" to "beginner guitar lessons" by resident expert Dan Cross.
Recent 'A' Level graduate Viviana Metussin, who has been utilising her spare time learning the guitar at www.ultimate-guitar.com, says such sites offer simple and clear instructions with the added bonus of popular songs with their accompanying chords, making learning an instantly gratifying process.
"The drawback, though," Viviana says, "is that you may lose interest." She adds that taking up classes in the basic stages may speed up progress as an expert is on hand to track your performance and correct mistakes.
However, businessman Del Goh thinks otherwise, saying it could be better for beginners to learn from the Net if they are unsure whether they are really serious about the hobby.
And cost is certainly a factor. Contessa Music Centre in Gadong offers guitar lessons, from beginner to advanced levels, including the "rocker" mode, at $60 a month for a 30-minute class once a week. Onnie Perez of Contessa says the centre has had about 30 students of all ages in the past six months, though he admits not all came back for lessons after a while.
The dropout rate may not just be about expenses, though, as Viviana explains, "I would love to go for classes if I had the time for them."
But cost is still a factor, and not just regarding lessons. A good guitar can set you back a few hundred dollars and a hand-crafted one can be in the thousands, though you can purchase a starter for $80 at Contessa. Perez says he often advises beginners to start with an inexpensive model and work their way up to the better ones if they really love the hobby.
And as we speak in the shop, which has a number of classical, folk, acoustic and electric guitars, a businessman comes in to buy one for his daughter. A quick discussion and he pays for an inexpensive acoustic guitar, which he says is a requirement since his daughter's school started offering guitar lessons.
"It's not too bad," he says of having to buy an instrument that his daughter may or may not like, especially when she is already learning to play the piano. "It keeps them from being too wrapped up in computer games."
Suzuki offers a friend in your corner
As appeared in Motoring
The Brunei Times - May 2, 2007
OK, SO I like motorbikes. And I like big bikes even better. Especially ones that look like they're going fast when they're standing still. Like the new Suzuki GSX-R1000.
It's big, though not as bulky as its 1,300cc compatriot also known as the Hayabusa, and it goes fast. Not that fast is a good thing, of course, so I'm not going to mention that the GSX-R1000 can go 300kph and has proven in tests to be the fastest production sports bike in the world, taking the title from Yamaha's R1.
So if we're not talking about speed, let's talk about all the new technology that has gone into the GSX-R1000, starting with the one most important to riders who love corners.
Face it, which road in the world doesn't have corners? You're bound to come across a few, unless you're only riding on straight highways and trust me, that's not something you want to do if you don't want your $300 to $400 tyres wearing out only in the middle.
Having ridden a few (smallish) motorbikes myself, I can appreciate the equation of powerful bike + tight corner + not so perfect conditions = slide. The GSX-R1000 deals with this by offering an adjustable engine setting controlled by a switch on the right handlebar.
This system, says Jeffery Yong of Suzuki distributor Shariff Auto Services, allows the rider to choose a lower horsepower setting for difficult situations like corners. "The GSX-R1000 is a powerful bike," Yong says, "and in a situation where the rider feels that tweaking the throttle will give the bike too much power and cause a slide, he can choose a setting with less horsepower."
Less horsepower, explains Yong, gives the bike more traction, not unlike traction control found in good cars. The ABC setting, he says, corresponds to the horsepower of a 1,000cc engine, a 750cc engine and a 600cc engine, respectively.
Another advancement for curve-lovers -- understandable, really, since Suzuki's catchphrase is "Own the Racetrack" -- is the electronically controlled steering damper system. As Yong explains, motorbikes going at faster speeds tend to wobble, thus needing a "hard" setting for steering. This setting, however, makes it difficult for the bikes to turn at lower speeds.
The steering damper system allows the bike to automatically create more damping force at higher speeds and lower damping force for lighter steering at slower speeds.
The bike's heavier body, standing at 172kg, compared to the 2006's 168kg, also makes for better handling, says Yong, especially as the model carries more horsepower than its predecessor.
The GSX-R1000 also has a dual exhaust with titanium tips and vertically-stacked headlights with a more compact projector high-beam.
The 2007 GSX-R1000 is the best that Suzuki currently offers, says Yong, as its 750cc counterpart has only made a superficial colour change for its 2007 line-up (Suzuki makes engine changes only every two years, he explains, and this is the year for the 1,000cc), while the 2007 Hayabusa is actually the limited edition model from 2004.
Shariff Auto has one more model of the GSX-R1000, the other, in a cool electric blue, being already booked. It is priced at $24,800 OTR. There is also one each of the Hayabusa, priced at $24,600 OTR, and the GSX-R750 ($20,800 OTR), just waiting for a rider.
The Brunei Times - May 2, 2007
OK, SO I like motorbikes. And I like big bikes even better. Especially ones that look like they're going fast when they're standing still. Like the new Suzuki GSX-R1000.
It's big, though not as bulky as its 1,300cc compatriot also known as the Hayabusa, and it goes fast. Not that fast is a good thing, of course, so I'm not going to mention that the GSX-R1000 can go 300kph and has proven in tests to be the fastest production sports bike in the world, taking the title from Yamaha's R1.
So if we're not talking about speed, let's talk about all the new technology that has gone into the GSX-R1000, starting with the one most important to riders who love corners.
Face it, which road in the world doesn't have corners? You're bound to come across a few, unless you're only riding on straight highways and trust me, that's not something you want to do if you don't want your $300 to $400 tyres wearing out only in the middle.
Having ridden a few (smallish) motorbikes myself, I can appreciate the equation of powerful bike + tight corner + not so perfect conditions = slide. The GSX-R1000 deals with this by offering an adjustable engine setting controlled by a switch on the right handlebar.
This system, says Jeffery Yong of Suzuki distributor Shariff Auto Services, allows the rider to choose a lower horsepower setting for difficult situations like corners. "The GSX-R1000 is a powerful bike," Yong says, "and in a situation where the rider feels that tweaking the throttle will give the bike too much power and cause a slide, he can choose a setting with less horsepower."
Less horsepower, explains Yong, gives the bike more traction, not unlike traction control found in good cars. The ABC setting, he says, corresponds to the horsepower of a 1,000cc engine, a 750cc engine and a 600cc engine, respectively.
Another advancement for curve-lovers -- understandable, really, since Suzuki's catchphrase is "Own the Racetrack" -- is the electronically controlled steering damper system. As Yong explains, motorbikes going at faster speeds tend to wobble, thus needing a "hard" setting for steering. This setting, however, makes it difficult for the bikes to turn at lower speeds.
The steering damper system allows the bike to automatically create more damping force at higher speeds and lower damping force for lighter steering at slower speeds.
The bike's heavier body, standing at 172kg, compared to the 2006's 168kg, also makes for better handling, says Yong, especially as the model carries more horsepower than its predecessor.
The GSX-R1000 also has a dual exhaust with titanium tips and vertically-stacked headlights with a more compact projector high-beam.
The 2007 GSX-R1000 is the best that Suzuki currently offers, says Yong, as its 750cc counterpart has only made a superficial colour change for its 2007 line-up (Suzuki makes engine changes only every two years, he explains, and this is the year for the 1,000cc), while the 2007 Hayabusa is actually the limited edition model from 2004.
Shariff Auto has one more model of the GSX-R1000, the other, in a cool electric blue, being already booked. It is priced at $24,800 OTR. There is also one each of the Hayabusa, priced at $24,600 OTR, and the GSX-R750 ($20,800 OTR), just waiting for a rider.
The spa-graduate 'yummy mummy'
As appeared in Style
The Brunei Times - May 11, 2007
THEY are stylish, well-coiffed and usually sport not just a Birkin bag but a baby as an accessory. They are not models but their model-like attributes -- every curl in place and make-up as smooth as the second they put it on -- mark them out as the enviable "yummy mummies" who juggle getting back into shape with their breastfeeding schedules.
The litany of famous names is endless -- Victoria Beckham, Courtney Cox-Arquette of Friends fame, Catherine Zeta-Jones. Of course, their fame means they have at their disposal nannies, masseurs, stylists and personal trainers to make them look that good. And we mere mortals don't.
But with Mother's Day just around the corner, let The Brunei Times offer you a quick guide to looking and feeling like an amazing yummy mummy, affordably.
You've heard all the cliches about inner beauty, I'm sure, but there's a kernel of truth to all those urban myths. A "blah" day will affect your mood no matter what price the Chanel suit you've got on.
The first step to becoming a yummy mummy is getting some pampering in, as a bit of self-love never goes astray. A pick-me-up you can do at home includes having a luxurious soak in a steaming-hot, scented bath, packing on a facial mask followed by slathering on creams and skin moisturisers and having a good night's sleep.
But for a full pampering experience, one where you merely have to lie down without lifting a finger, a trip to a spa is just the ticket. And there are so many spas to choose from here in Brunei, offering a variety of treatments to make you feel like a princess.
The Shiatzen Spa in Kiulap, for one, offers what spa manager Elaine Chin refers to as a top-to-toe package to harmonise the body, mind and spirit. Everyone, Chin says, should have a spa experience once in a while to rejuvenate the body. And mothers, who often face 24-hour demands on their time and attention, are no exception.
With a tagline of "awaken the senses, soothe the spirit and relax the mind", the treatments at Shiatzen Spa can possibly fit any taste and budget. Chin says the foot spa package, which includes reflexology and polishing, costs as little as $25, and can give a much-needed boost for tired feet. "They definitely need pampering too," she says, "as we're on our feet all the time."
The spa also offers massages from $30 while for Mother's Day, there are several packages to choose from to maximise the benefits of your day of indulgence.
Other centres like SpaZone at The Mall also offer massages, manicures and pedicures, waxing and other services that can leave you feeling like a million dollars, even when you don't have to pay that much for them.
Another way to get that glow is by sweating out those toxins, and if you're not the sort to laze around in a sauna, exercise classes are the way to go.
Places like Fitness Zone offer not just the irons to pump or the treadmills to get bored on -- they also have classes to suit your interest. Kickboxing, taichi, aerobics or yoga, you can find a class that is just you in the plethora of fitness centres mushrooming in the sultanate to cater for the rising number of health- and figure-conscious Bruneians.
And the added benefit of exercise? A toned body and weight loss what a way to start your yummy mummy quest.
And now that you're glowing from within, let's talk about the outer you, as confidence stems from having self-esteem, and an undeniable part of this is your appearance. The biggest concern women and now men, too have about their appearance is their skin.
And our biggest transgression is often having products at our disposal and not using them properly -- does sleeping with your makeup on or not cleansing your face after a dusty day out sound familiar?
It's the basic things that count, and start by ensuring you cleanse, tone and moisturise religiously. If you have problem skin, visit a dermatologist for professional advice and keep in mind that nothing ever works miracles overnight, not even that ridiculously expensive "wonder cream" everyone raves about.
Another way to instantly create a fabulous look is to learn how to apply make-up that suits not just your colour scheme for the day but also your face. And let go of 80s trend of loud green eye shadow and bright red spots on your cheeks -- a barely-there blush over almost non-existent foundation gives you a flawless look every time.
Get tips from make-up counters, learn from a friend with good taste or visit a specialist like Shahdon's Style studio in Kiulap -- armed with makeup know-how, you're just a brush-flick away from a gorgeous mom experience.
And of course, those yummy mummy celebs can't do without their glittering accessories. However, you don't need to be weighed down with a 20kg diamond tiara to look fabulous -- they're just magnets for those grabby little hands anyway -- subtle but classy is the way to go.
Twinkles Jewellery in Kiulap, for one, offers affordable, unique pieces suitable for every budget, ranging from rings and bracelets with semi-precious stones to drop-dead gorgeous earrings with high-quality diamonds, starting from as little as $50.
You can also get information on being glamour mums on the Internet, for example at the Yummy Mummy Club created by former Canadian TV personality Erica Ehm, or through books like The Yummy Mummy's Survival Guide by Liz Fraser.
So go on and grab your chance for a Mother's Day break, you know you deserve to be called a fabulous mum, on all fronts.
The Brunei Times - May 11, 2007
THEY are stylish, well-coiffed and usually sport not just a Birkin bag but a baby as an accessory. They are not models but their model-like attributes -- every curl in place and make-up as smooth as the second they put it on -- mark them out as the enviable "yummy mummies" who juggle getting back into shape with their breastfeeding schedules.
The litany of famous names is endless -- Victoria Beckham, Courtney Cox-Arquette of Friends fame, Catherine Zeta-Jones. Of course, their fame means they have at their disposal nannies, masseurs, stylists and personal trainers to make them look that good. And we mere mortals don't.
But with Mother's Day just around the corner, let The Brunei Times offer you a quick guide to looking and feeling like an amazing yummy mummy, affordably.
You've heard all the cliches about inner beauty, I'm sure, but there's a kernel of truth to all those urban myths. A "blah" day will affect your mood no matter what price the Chanel suit you've got on.
The first step to becoming a yummy mummy is getting some pampering in, as a bit of self-love never goes astray. A pick-me-up you can do at home includes having a luxurious soak in a steaming-hot, scented bath, packing on a facial mask followed by slathering on creams and skin moisturisers and having a good night's sleep.
But for a full pampering experience, one where you merely have to lie down without lifting a finger, a trip to a spa is just the ticket. And there are so many spas to choose from here in Brunei, offering a variety of treatments to make you feel like a princess.
The Shiatzen Spa in Kiulap, for one, offers what spa manager Elaine Chin refers to as a top-to-toe package to harmonise the body, mind and spirit. Everyone, Chin says, should have a spa experience once in a while to rejuvenate the body. And mothers, who often face 24-hour demands on their time and attention, are no exception.
With a tagline of "awaken the senses, soothe the spirit and relax the mind", the treatments at Shiatzen Spa can possibly fit any taste and budget. Chin says the foot spa package, which includes reflexology and polishing, costs as little as $25, and can give a much-needed boost for tired feet. "They definitely need pampering too," she says, "as we're on our feet all the time."
The spa also offers massages from $30 while for Mother's Day, there are several packages to choose from to maximise the benefits of your day of indulgence.
Other centres like SpaZone at The Mall also offer massages, manicures and pedicures, waxing and other services that can leave you feeling like a million dollars, even when you don't have to pay that much for them.
Another way to get that glow is by sweating out those toxins, and if you're not the sort to laze around in a sauna, exercise classes are the way to go.
Places like Fitness Zone offer not just the irons to pump or the treadmills to get bored on -- they also have classes to suit your interest. Kickboxing, taichi, aerobics or yoga, you can find a class that is just you in the plethora of fitness centres mushrooming in the sultanate to cater for the rising number of health- and figure-conscious Bruneians.
And the added benefit of exercise? A toned body and weight loss what a way to start your yummy mummy quest.
And now that you're glowing from within, let's talk about the outer you, as confidence stems from having self-esteem, and an undeniable part of this is your appearance. The biggest concern women and now men, too have about their appearance is their skin.
And our biggest transgression is often having products at our disposal and not using them properly -- does sleeping with your makeup on or not cleansing your face after a dusty day out sound familiar?
It's the basic things that count, and start by ensuring you cleanse, tone and moisturise religiously. If you have problem skin, visit a dermatologist for professional advice and keep in mind that nothing ever works miracles overnight, not even that ridiculously expensive "wonder cream" everyone raves about.
Another way to instantly create a fabulous look is to learn how to apply make-up that suits not just your colour scheme for the day but also your face. And let go of 80s trend of loud green eye shadow and bright red spots on your cheeks -- a barely-there blush over almost non-existent foundation gives you a flawless look every time.
Get tips from make-up counters, learn from a friend with good taste or visit a specialist like Shahdon's Style studio in Kiulap -- armed with makeup know-how, you're just a brush-flick away from a gorgeous mom experience.
And of course, those yummy mummy celebs can't do without their glittering accessories. However, you don't need to be weighed down with a 20kg diamond tiara to look fabulous -- they're just magnets for those grabby little hands anyway -- subtle but classy is the way to go.
Twinkles Jewellery in Kiulap, for one, offers affordable, unique pieces suitable for every budget, ranging from rings and bracelets with semi-precious stones to drop-dead gorgeous earrings with high-quality diamonds, starting from as little as $50.
You can also get information on being glamour mums on the Internet, for example at the Yummy Mummy Club created by former Canadian TV personality Erica Ehm, or through books like The Yummy Mummy's Survival Guide by Liz Fraser.
So go on and grab your chance for a Mother's Day break, you know you deserve to be called a fabulous mum, on all fronts.
Cultivating reading habit one book at a time
As appeared in Features
The Brunei Times -- Feb 27, 2008
SHE has been collecting books all her life. Her abode is a trove of literary treasures, something to come home to from a hard day's work, something that lifts her spirits when she's down.
But for Datin Paduka Fatimah Husain, the books called out not merely to be read by her and her immediate family but by the populace of Brunei Darussalam. It was such a loud call that she took the only logical step in that pursuit, which was to open her own bookstore.
"I started out with religious and motivational books," Datin Paduka Fatimah says of her shop in Berakas opened in 2002 under the name of Asfar Enterprise, which also published a local women's lifestyle magazine called Seri.
The bookshop grew but the magazine didn't. The last publication was in 2005. Datin Paduka Fatimah cites distribution among other problems for its demise and she split her operations into two, renaming her shop Booklane in 2006.
Despite expanding to include other genres of books, it's a small operation, with limited shelf space -- something Datin Paduka Fatimah sees as a kind of challenge in itself to stock. "I can't compete with the other, bigger bookshops, so I try to bring in books which they don't have.
"I want to concentrate on books that appeal to the academia, to women, to readers with special interests," she says, pointing out biographies, literary discourses and even books on journalism on the shelves.
Why not sell novels instead of taking the risk of stocking books people might not buy?
"It's important to have options, so I try to bring in books based on sellability, convenience, knowledge and also affordability," she says, pointing out that some of her decisions have borne fruit.
Of course, it takes a reader to appreciate what other people might like to read. "Yes," she says with a smile. "I have to read all the books first, not only to see whether they are good but also to vet for unsuitable content."
One example of unsuitable content she found in a book for teens, which she promptly pulled from the shelves.
But doesn't that put a crimp in her bottom line? "I can't think purely as a businesswoman," says the mother of two daughters and grandmother of three. "As a society, we have to work together with parents to ensure the minds of Brunei's young people are not corrupted by unsuitable material."
This is especially so as Datin Paduka Fatimah is focusing on supplying books to schools, relying on special orders to shore up the rather sad state of sales in the current business climate. "The reading culture here, as it is in other parts of the region like Malaysia, is not at a satisfactory level.
"The book business is not at all encouraging now. But from the response of my customers, I have the motivation to go ahead, and in the near future I plan to increase my staff and move to bigger premises.
"There are times when I feel half-hearted about the business, so I go back to my books, open them up, and get motivated all over again."
Describing as "love-hate" her relationship with books and the selling of them, Datin Paduka Fatimah, who opted for early retirement in 1998, doesn't however have plans to quit the business, although she says she dreams of putting her feet up in two years' time, when she reaches "a certain age".
"But I can't really sit still," she says with a laugh.
This explains why after years in civil service, from being a presenter on RTB to a Dewan Bahasa Dan Pustaka officer to the foreign service, Datin Paduka Fatimah is going all out to present her books and sourcing services at the Book Fair which opens at the International Convention Centre in Berakas today.
From ensuring that the books are arranged in a certain way to advising her staff against sitting down and looking lazy -- she wants them to generate interest among the public in her two booths -- and preparing forms for special orders, Datin Paduka Fatimah is not ready to give in to the "hate" part of the relationship.
"I want to share the habit of reading with the Brunei people," she says simply of her motives.
And that is a good enough reason as any.
The Brunei Times -- Feb 27, 2008
SHE has been collecting books all her life. Her abode is a trove of literary treasures, something to come home to from a hard day's work, something that lifts her spirits when she's down.
But for Datin Paduka Fatimah Husain, the books called out not merely to be read by her and her immediate family but by the populace of Brunei Darussalam. It was such a loud call that she took the only logical step in that pursuit, which was to open her own bookstore.
"I started out with religious and motivational books," Datin Paduka Fatimah says of her shop in Berakas opened in 2002 under the name of Asfar Enterprise, which also published a local women's lifestyle magazine called Seri.
The bookshop grew but the magazine didn't. The last publication was in 2005. Datin Paduka Fatimah cites distribution among other problems for its demise and she split her operations into two, renaming her shop Booklane in 2006.
Despite expanding to include other genres of books, it's a small operation, with limited shelf space -- something Datin Paduka Fatimah sees as a kind of challenge in itself to stock. "I can't compete with the other, bigger bookshops, so I try to bring in books which they don't have.
"I want to concentrate on books that appeal to the academia, to women, to readers with special interests," she says, pointing out biographies, literary discourses and even books on journalism on the shelves.
Why not sell novels instead of taking the risk of stocking books people might not buy?
"It's important to have options, so I try to bring in books based on sellability, convenience, knowledge and also affordability," she says, pointing out that some of her decisions have borne fruit.
Of course, it takes a reader to appreciate what other people might like to read. "Yes," she says with a smile. "I have to read all the books first, not only to see whether they are good but also to vet for unsuitable content."
One example of unsuitable content she found in a book for teens, which she promptly pulled from the shelves.
But doesn't that put a crimp in her bottom line? "I can't think purely as a businesswoman," says the mother of two daughters and grandmother of three. "As a society, we have to work together with parents to ensure the minds of Brunei's young people are not corrupted by unsuitable material."
This is especially so as Datin Paduka Fatimah is focusing on supplying books to schools, relying on special orders to shore up the rather sad state of sales in the current business climate. "The reading culture here, as it is in other parts of the region like Malaysia, is not at a satisfactory level.
"The book business is not at all encouraging now. But from the response of my customers, I have the motivation to go ahead, and in the near future I plan to increase my staff and move to bigger premises.
"There are times when I feel half-hearted about the business, so I go back to my books, open them up, and get motivated all over again."
Describing as "love-hate" her relationship with books and the selling of them, Datin Paduka Fatimah, who opted for early retirement in 1998, doesn't however have plans to quit the business, although she says she dreams of putting her feet up in two years' time, when she reaches "a certain age".
"But I can't really sit still," she says with a laugh.
This explains why after years in civil service, from being a presenter on RTB to a Dewan Bahasa Dan Pustaka officer to the foreign service, Datin Paduka Fatimah is going all out to present her books and sourcing services at the Book Fair which opens at the International Convention Centre in Berakas today.
From ensuring that the books are arranged in a certain way to advising her staff against sitting down and looking lazy -- she wants them to generate interest among the public in her two booths -- and preparing forms for special orders, Datin Paduka Fatimah is not ready to give in to the "hate" part of the relationship.
"I want to share the habit of reading with the Brunei people," she says simply of her motives.
And that is a good enough reason as any.
Rolling with the biking mood
As appeared in Motoring
The Brunei Times - Sept 5, 2007
FOR those of you who remember Brunei roads as the exclusive playground of four-wheelers, you have got to rethink safety and driving methods. And soon.
The number of motorcycles on Brunei roads is increasing, thanks to more affluence and the demand for hobby riding, and they are here to stay.
Though motorcycles are not as prevalent here as in Malaysia or Thailand, where they are used as the primary means of transport, good weather on the weekends will usually mean convoys of bikes on pleasure rides across the sultanate.
Yes, there are dangers to riding these two-wheeled contraptions, chief among them the idiotic need for speed, but more often than not, accidents occur due to the intolerence and bad judgment of other road users.
A study released in Britain proved that most accidents involving motorbikes are caused by car drivers, specifically in exiting junctions despite an oncoming machine and changing lanes without warning.
And so too is it here, according to Ahmad Sharifuddin Taib of the Darussalam Motorcycle Association, who says some drivers cannot estimate a motorcycle's speed and exit junctions at will. This forces the motorcyclist to swerve or hit the brakes -- perilous things to do without training wheels or seat belts.
"It's not who is wrong, but the fact that motorcyclists also have a right to be on the road, and motorists should respect this," Ahmad Sharifuddin says.
Another gripe is cars swerving suddenly between lanes -- bad enough when you're in the safety of your own car watching that bulk of metal coming by, but it could be deadly for bikers.
Aside from being alert about motorcycles in general, motorists should also be aware of situations involving motorcycle convoys.
Having been in one over the weekend, on a ride from Bandar to the Anduki Recreational Park in Belait, I found the riders overall very conscientious about safety, especially with hand signals to alert those in the rear to obstacles ahead.
Pg Redzuan Pg Ahmad, road captain of the Harley Owner's Group (Brunei Chapter), is a stickler for convoy regulations and gives me the lowdown on safe riding in a group.
These include keeping a good distance between machines (10 bike lengths at speed), travelling in zigzag formation (each bike diagonally from the other), having a leader out front and a sweeper in rear, and adhering to the law.
Understanding that safety is the main concern can also help rein in the impatience when a convoy of 20 to 30 bikes can stretch up to half a kilometre -- not a pretty sight if you're in a following car, on a single lane road, and chafing at the bit.
I personally would not advise cars to try to overtake a convoy unless you can see a 2km stretch of road clear of oncoming traffic -- as a last-minute request to break a convoy means motorcycles in the rear have to brake suddenly.
All in all, sensitivity to the needs of other road users is the most important aspect of keeping Brunei roads safe, from the motorcyclists' side as well as those travelling on four wheels.
The Brunei Times - Sept 5, 2007
FOR those of you who remember Brunei roads as the exclusive playground of four-wheelers, you have got to rethink safety and driving methods. And soon.
The number of motorcycles on Brunei roads is increasing, thanks to more affluence and the demand for hobby riding, and they are here to stay.
Though motorcycles are not as prevalent here as in Malaysia or Thailand, where they are used as the primary means of transport, good weather on the weekends will usually mean convoys of bikes on pleasure rides across the sultanate.
Yes, there are dangers to riding these two-wheeled contraptions, chief among them the idiotic need for speed, but more often than not, accidents occur due to the intolerence and bad judgment of other road users.
A study released in Britain proved that most accidents involving motorbikes are caused by car drivers, specifically in exiting junctions despite an oncoming machine and changing lanes without warning.
And so too is it here, according to Ahmad Sharifuddin Taib of the Darussalam Motorcycle Association, who says some drivers cannot estimate a motorcycle's speed and exit junctions at will. This forces the motorcyclist to swerve or hit the brakes -- perilous things to do without training wheels or seat belts.
"It's not who is wrong, but the fact that motorcyclists also have a right to be on the road, and motorists should respect this," Ahmad Sharifuddin says.
Another gripe is cars swerving suddenly between lanes -- bad enough when you're in the safety of your own car watching that bulk of metal coming by, but it could be deadly for bikers.
Aside from being alert about motorcycles in general, motorists should also be aware of situations involving motorcycle convoys.
Having been in one over the weekend, on a ride from Bandar to the Anduki Recreational Park in Belait, I found the riders overall very conscientious about safety, especially with hand signals to alert those in the rear to obstacles ahead.
Pg Redzuan Pg Ahmad, road captain of the Harley Owner's Group (Brunei Chapter), is a stickler for convoy regulations and gives me the lowdown on safe riding in a group.
These include keeping a good distance between machines (10 bike lengths at speed), travelling in zigzag formation (each bike diagonally from the other), having a leader out front and a sweeper in rear, and adhering to the law.
Understanding that safety is the main concern can also help rein in the impatience when a convoy of 20 to 30 bikes can stretch up to half a kilometre -- not a pretty sight if you're in a following car, on a single lane road, and chafing at the bit.
I personally would not advise cars to try to overtake a convoy unless you can see a 2km stretch of road clear of oncoming traffic -- as a last-minute request to break a convoy means motorcycles in the rear have to brake suddenly.
All in all, sensitivity to the needs of other road users is the most important aspect of keeping Brunei roads safe, from the motorcyclists' side as well as those travelling on four wheels.
Triggering the art, skill of photography
As appeared in Hobbies
The Brunei Times - March 14, 2008
A PICTURE may be worth a thousand words, but the members of the Brunei Photographic Society do not keep their words to themselves when they get together.
They trade silly jokes similar to the knock-knock variety, insult one another endlessly, and most importantly, they ask questions and exchange tips on how to take better photographs.
And their mentors are not merely those who have just picked up a camera, either. Shutterbugs of the greatest degree, the society is helmed by president Hj Mohd Yusof Mohd Yassin and advisor Hj Jumat Hj Taha, renown as two of Brunei's best photographers with international fellowships and awards to their names.
Hj Mohd Yusof said sharing information and tips was the best way to polish skills as a photographer, and that's why the society held frequent outings and activities, supplemented with monthly competitions and themed photo sharing events.
At one photo sharing event at the house of society member Muhammad Amir Yap Abdullah in Mentiri late last month, Hj Mohd Yusof and Hj Jumat sifted through a few hundred shots of the National Day celebration and the society's own family day event.
Explaining parts of what they were looking for the feeling of pride and of being there for the National Day photos and an activity oriented theme for the family day shots the two men gave this writer a quick lesson on pictures that merit a second glance.
Then that information was shared with the members who had sent in their work for consideration.
One of them, Mohd Noriman Mohd Ali, 30, said such get-togethers were beneficial as the members could receive immediate feedback on their photos, thus allowing them to learn where they had gone wrong in composing or metering their shots.
Mohd Noriman, who had one of his National Day shots picked in the top three, said such input was important as learning from books or the Internet was not as good as picking the brain of an experienced photographer.
A lensman who knows the ins and outs of one kind of photography could also benefit from this information sharing, said Azlyn Wisma, 40, who joined the society last month.
The wedding photographer whose interest in photography was sparked in 1995 said he might know a lot about taking pictures of brides and the wedding ceremony, but the other members' knowledge about other types of photography was invaluable to a person who is not shy to continue his education.
"I know some things, and they know some other things, so by sharing our knowledge, we can only become better photographers," he said.
And you don't really need a photograph to tell you this.
The Brunei Times - March 14, 2008
A PICTURE may be worth a thousand words, but the members of the Brunei Photographic Society do not keep their words to themselves when they get together.
They trade silly jokes similar to the knock-knock variety, insult one another endlessly, and most importantly, they ask questions and exchange tips on how to take better photographs.
And their mentors are not merely those who have just picked up a camera, either. Shutterbugs of the greatest degree, the society is helmed by president Hj Mohd Yusof Mohd Yassin and advisor Hj Jumat Hj Taha, renown as two of Brunei's best photographers with international fellowships and awards to their names.
Hj Mohd Yusof said sharing information and tips was the best way to polish skills as a photographer, and that's why the society held frequent outings and activities, supplemented with monthly competitions and themed photo sharing events.
At one photo sharing event at the house of society member Muhammad Amir Yap Abdullah in Mentiri late last month, Hj Mohd Yusof and Hj Jumat sifted through a few hundred shots of the National Day celebration and the society's own family day event.
Explaining parts of what they were looking for the feeling of pride and of being there for the National Day photos and an activity oriented theme for the family day shots the two men gave this writer a quick lesson on pictures that merit a second glance.
Then that information was shared with the members who had sent in their work for consideration.
One of them, Mohd Noriman Mohd Ali, 30, said such get-togethers were beneficial as the members could receive immediate feedback on their photos, thus allowing them to learn where they had gone wrong in composing or metering their shots.
Mohd Noriman, who had one of his National Day shots picked in the top three, said such input was important as learning from books or the Internet was not as good as picking the brain of an experienced photographer.
A lensman who knows the ins and outs of one kind of photography could also benefit from this information sharing, said Azlyn Wisma, 40, who joined the society last month.
The wedding photographer whose interest in photography was sparked in 1995 said he might know a lot about taking pictures of brides and the wedding ceremony, but the other members' knowledge about other types of photography was invaluable to a person who is not shy to continue his education.
"I know some things, and they know some other things, so by sharing our knowledge, we can only become better photographers," he said.
And you don't really need a photograph to tell you this.
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