Chinese New Year fever 2011 by Sumantri

Chinese New Year fever 2011 by Sumantr

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2098100&id=1557172025

Me, my wife and Junior Deedat are one among million families in this world who celebrate three new years. Being a Muslim family we have Hijrah or New Year in Islam calendar, being international community we witness international New Year on 31 December and I support my wife to continue to keep a live a heritage of Chinese culture to celebrate Chinese New year. Chinese New year just right around the corner we begin to decorate our house with red decoration. CNY is one of the most significant festivals in the Chinese community; the Chinese New Year is celebrated throughout the world with equal fervor and enthusiasm. Traditions and age-old customary beliefs mark the celebration of this Chinese festival. Celebrations elsewhere in the world apart from China are also observed by the following of significant traditions. Celebrations include traditional dance and musical performances along with other cultural shows. The significant Chinese community observes Chinese New Year in Brunei like most of the countries in the world through the following of customs and rituals. 

About Chinese New Year in Brunei

Celebrations of Chinese New Year in Brunei are observed with reference to the dates of the lunar calendar. The festival for the year 2011 is scheduled from February 3 to February 17. Celebrated by the Chinese community residing in Brunei, the festival continues for the entire period of two weeks. Signifying family reunion and homecoming, the festival is observed by exchanging gifts and greetings among close family members and relatives. A grand dinner on the Chinese New Year eve is a major highlight of the celebration. The dinner represents abundance, prosperity, and good luck for the year ahead. 

Chinese New Year Traditions in Brunei

Traditions mark a significant part of the festival celebrated by the Chinese community of Brunei. Customary rituals like, house cleaning, offering money to the kids and using the color red throughout the celebration marks the traditional of the celebration. As per the Chinese belief, the color red signifies joy and represents truth, virtue, and sincerity while bringing in fortune and good luck to the household. Another customary traditions followed by the Chinese is offering red envelopes containing money to the kids, as they seek blessings form the elder members of the family. This symbolic gesture represents good luck and coming of wealth in the New Year. Cleaning of the house also forms a significant part of the customary following of traditions. Food is also highlighting as a symbol celebration we will cook Halal Chinese food only for this CNY…….

CNY fever will continue with CNY food we will cook………..

About Sumantri, many faces of me, I am a hotelier, like to organize event, Think Thinker, like to sing, like to write, like to learn new thing, Photography enthusiasm, traveler, food lover, restaurant reviewer, hospitality and guest service evaluator, food and beverage entrepreneur, master chef at own kitchen, blogger lifeskill and lifestyle and more…… Want your restaurant, café, hotel, resort, food or yourself appear in this blog !!!! in box or drop me an email

Car Wash @ The Empire Hotel & Country Club by Sumantri

Car Wash @ The Empire Hotel & Country Club by Sumantri

Fund raising event to help Pakistan flood victims is now happening at The Empire Hotel & Country Club, starting today Saturday 30^th October until tomorrow Sunday, 31th October 2010 from 0800hours until 1800hours, send your cars, trucks or buses to the Atrium Parking area upper level of the Empire Hotel & Country Club. Initiative by Front Office Department of the hotel, the handsome male team member will ensure to shampoo and wash your car and the beautiful girls will polish and make sure your car shine at only $ 5 for exterior and additional $ 3 for interior.

All proceeds from these activities will go to the Pakistan Flood Hit victim, act now before is too late

Blood donation @ The Empire Hotel & Country Club

Blood donation by Sumantri.

My first blood donation after 5 years away from South East Asia joint The Empire Hotel & Country Club a blood donation campaign held at its meeting room on Tuesday 10th August 2010 for RIPAS Hospital Blood Bank and participated by more than 100 staff members
The Empire Hotel and Country Club has long been committed in helping community development and the donation was part of the hotel's social responsibility in assisting RIPAS Hospital Blood Bank to stock up on blood supply for those in need such as cancer, leukaemia patients, accident victims, surgical patients, premature infants, burn patients, trauma victims and blood disorders like thalassaemia, haemophilia, and sickle cell disease.
The Empire Hotel & Country Club holds blood donation campaign every year and it is well supported by their team and management.
Feel great can get back on track in helping other people.

Sumantri condemn Israeli

Sumantri condemn Israeli

Brunei Darussalam 31th May 2010. http://desumantri.blogspot.com together with million people and world leader in the world joins hands in hand to condemn recent STUPID & CRAZY Israeli commandos killed at least 19 people and wounded dozens aboard a Palestinian aid convoy unofficially sponsored by Turkey on 31th May 2010.Israel's deadly attack on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla was "Idiot Criminal War ".

Secretary = Personal Assistant by Sumantri

Secretary = Personal Assistant by Sumantri
Secretaries accomplish near-to-impossible feats such as juggling our schedules, keeping track of all the work we need to do, and generally making sure that our lives run as smooth as possible. All secretaries who do their job well are invaluable assets to any company, and yet they are probably some of the most under-appreciated professionals around. It might be because their work does not produce obvious successes like winning a major contract for the company or having the most number of sales in the last quarter. They say that behind every great man is a woman – well, they forgot to specify that behind every successful businessman is a great secretary, in recent Secretary Workshop held @ The Empire Hotel & Country Club, Brunei for all hotel’s secretary learnt all aspect related to be great secretary, today demand secretary become Personal Assistant rather than typing and scheduling meeting. Attended in this workshop all hotel’s administrator and secretary from all department and section. Hotel’s General Manager Desmond Acheson presenting a flower as appreciation to all secretary
witnesses by Raj Human Resources Director and Sumantri Executive Assistant - Rooms

Empire strikes back against excess by Rachel Thien

Sunday, March 28, 2010
BRUNEI'S Empire Hotel and Country Club yesterday dimmed its lights all-around the hotel's proximity and also urged their guests and staff to consume as minimal energy during last night's observance of Earth Hour.

Although, this was Brunei's first official year of joining the Earth Hour, it was the premier hotel's second year to support the global energy-saving event.

"There is no reason to say no in participating in Earth Hour, just like the rest of the world," said the hotel's Executive Assistant Manager cum Director of Rooms Division Sumantri Endang, in an interview with The Brunei Times.

Sumantri said: "No one will protect this planet except us. What we have done is encouraged our in-house guests and hotel staff to participate in Earth Hour, by switching off their lights and consuming energy in the most minimal way."

Lights at the hotel's lobby, fitness centre, corridors and staircases were dimmed, the minute the clock struck half eight. All street lights from the hotel's guardhouse to its main entrance were switched off.

"Although we dimmed the lights, we did not compromise safety by having emergency lights which are compulsory," he said.

Sumantri added: "Even though we are (observing Earth Hour), saving energy will not be that substantial. However, this is still an indication to support the event."

Meanwhile, Director of the hotel's Property Maintenance Abd Rahim Mohd Noor said that instead of encouraging staff to use candles during the hour, they used dynamo-generated torch lights.

Sumantri noted that it defeated the purpose if they had to burn candles, instead of using lights generated by electricity. "It's not saving energy in a way if (our staff) are burning thousands of candles."

Sumantri said prior to Earth Hour, letters from their management sent to their hotel staff also encouraged their family members to consume minimum energy from 8.30pm to 9.30pm yesterday.

Abd Rahim said although the hotel did not advertise they were observing Earth Hour, he was surprised to see people pouring into the hotel at 7pm, to witness a tea-light candle display at its ground floor. "I suppose these people had it in their minds to come here and participate in Earth Hour, because we had this last year as well."

He added that the hotel recently kicked off a "green programme", in a bid to conserve energy in the long haul.

"For example, we have opted for conserving energy through a timer, which will automatically switch off our street lights and air-conditioners (at certain places) during hours around midnight," he said.

Abd Rahim said that lights in about 90 per cent of their guest rooms at the main building have already been changed to energy-saving bulbs.

Sumantri added that although it was expensive to switch to energy-saving bulbs, it saved both energy and money in the long run.

Both Bruneians and tourists seen at the Empire lauded both the nation's and hotel's initiative to officially participate in marking the Earth Hour.

Pg Rosmawati Pg Hj Metali, an education officer at the Ministry of Education, along with her husband and three children enthusiastically witnessed the dimming of lights all around the hotel last night.

"This is the message of conservation, to show Bruneians what it is about. I also brought my children to expose them to the message, and what it was all about," she said.

The Brunei Times

http://www.bt.com.bn/en/news-national/2010/03/28/empire-strikes-back-against-excess

Photos by Sumantri shown earth hour activities at The Empire Hotel

Experience Vanuatu - Eid ul-Fitr (EID) Celebrating the end of Ramadan in Vanuatu

Eid ul-Fitr (EID) Celebrating the end of Ramadan in Vanuatu by Sumantri.

Port Vila, 21 September 2009. Two billion Muslims around the world celebrate Eid ul-Fitr (eed al-fitter), the festival commonly known as "Eid." "Eid ul-Fitr" literally means "the feast of the breaking/to break the fast." The holiday marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting and is a culmination of the month-long struggle towards a higher spiritual state.

Ramadan holds special significance for Muslims, since the Quran, the book of Muslim scripture, was revealed during this month.

It is also the time when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset every day, refraining from food and water. Fasting is not only a symbol of sacrifice and purification, but also a measure of self-restraint and to teach humility and patience and for encouraging compassion for those less fortunate. Charity and service are particularly emphasized during Ramadan, and Muslims are required to donate food and a percentage of their wealth to the poor.

The first Eid is considered to have been celebrated in 624 CE by Muhammad after winning the Battle of Badr. At that time, there had been a fast by the armies that was broken after their success in this battle.
As the Islamic calendar follows the lunar cycle, Eid begins with the sighting of the new,
In this Eid Fitrie 2009 is one the most EXTRAORDINARY Ramadhan and Eid festival experience I ever have in my life.

In Indonesia, Brunei and Malaysia Eid is called Hari Raya Aidilfitri - literally "Grand Day." Banks, private offices and government are usually closed for about one week. It's customary to wear traditional clothing and to pay a visit to the grave of the late family and friends. Not too forget, in celebrating the festival we too have “open house” inviting families and friends to the house and at the sametime, visiting the same members of the families, relatives and friends houses as a joy and reunion of this wonderful festive. During this event, plenty of Raya food will be served, especially you will be served with rendang, satay, semur, ketupat, lemang, sayur lodeh, sayur santan and many more. Festivities also begin on the night before Eid with Takbir on the street or Masjid.

To decide 1 Syawal, Vanuatu follow FIJI. On 29 Ramadhan, we were waiting whether it will continue fasting the next day or not to completed 30 days of fasting. Indonesia and Malaysia announced that 1 Syawal will be falls on Sunday, 20th September 2009. 9.00pm we received the news that fasting will be continued the next day.

On Sunday at 5.43 pm was the last breakfasting for us in Vanuatu, it means TAKBIRAN night has begun. Free TAKBIRAN download from google help to make environment at the home real TAKBIRAN night. My wife cooked Ketupat package made in Malaysia from a friend from Queensland accompany with my cooking - sayur lodeh and my wife beef rendang which make this EID festival a superb MUBARAK.

On Monday 21st September 2009, on the day of 1st Syawal as early as 5.00 am morning we woke up, take a shower wear my white top, after Fajr prayer, I had my breakfast with ketupat, sayur lodeh and beef rendang and accompany with Hari “Nurhalizah “ Raya song, again free download from google.


I have informed my boss that I will be absent and away for two hours for this Eid festival and will be back to work at 11.00 am onward. I and my wife very exciting went to Melle village 25 minutes by car from Iririki. Arrived at the masjid, however, no one there to break the silence of the mosque, so I begin takbir alone and the ladies corner at the back and my wife as well reading al-Quran. At 8:30am, people arriving to the mosque, join with my takbir 27 people include man, women and children. And then, 8:50am jemaah start discussing on how many times takbir for EID prayer.

IED prayer begin with 3 time takbir for the first and second rakaat follow by IED khutbah in Arabic language. Imam and Khatib was Sultan Ni-Vanuatu who learnt Islam in Fiji. IED prayer concluded with doa, festive celebration begin with a very simple way, shake the hand, hug and asking for forgivness among jemaah and followed by a simple sneaks contribute by Abdul one of Indian Fijian brother for the tea break.

Alhihamdulilah, wa Syukurillah…. Ya Allah the Al Mighty for giving us an EXTRAORDINARY IED, this year is MUBARAK.

Thank you to my wife Amirah for being with me throughout the period of ramahdan and being my Masterchef, thank you lieke for the ketupat, thank you to the technology and google, and last but not least thank you to iririki island resort ( Dan, GM ) allowing me to go for my IED prayer on that day.

Then we back to the Irirki island resort the place where we live and begin to work.


About Vanuatu :

The Republic of Vanuatu, an archipelago of 83 islands, has a land surface of just over 12,000 km2 and an Exclusive Economic Zone of about 860,000 km2. The majority of the population is Melanesian and 25% live in the two largest towns: the capital Port Vila on Efate, and Luganville on Espiritu Santo . Due to migration to the capital, Efate has the fastest growing population.
More than 100 languages exist on the islands, however Bislama, the national language, is popularly spoken and the official languages – French and English – are used in schools, the civil service and in business. Before independence in 1980, Vanuatu had been administered as the Anglo-French condominium, the New Hebrides since 1906.

Approximately 83% of the population of Vanuatu is Christian. An estimated 32% is Presbyterian, 13% Roman Catholic, 13% Anglican, and 11% Seventh-day Adventist,Groups that together constitute 14% include the Church of Christ, the Apostolic Church, the Assemblies of God, and other Christian denominations.[1] The John Frum Movement, a political party that also is an indigenous religious group, is centered on the island of Tanna and includes about 5% of the population.[1] The Baha'i Faith, Muslims, Buddhists, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) also are active.[1] There are believed to be members of other religions within the foreign community; they are free to practice their religions, but they are not known to proselytize or hold public religious ceremonies.[1]