Brunei's Local News - Brudirect.com

Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei shoppers beware! Think twice before purchasing "promotional" items offering prizes because if you turn out to be one of the winners, chances are you will walk home empty-handed.

Not many people in the country are aware that if they buy these "promotional" goods such as instant noodles and fizzy drinks from parallel importers, they will not be eligible to claim the prizes.

Syarikat Aliaa, the main authorized distributor of 100 Plus isotonic drinks and Pop Mie cup noodles, told the Sunday Bulletin that two Brunei residents recently visited their office with "winning coupons".

However, they soon realized that the coupons were in fact from products that had been shipped into the country through parallel importers, and not through Syarikat Aliaa.

"Because the 'promotional' products were not imported by us, it is not applicable in Brunei Darussalam," a spokesperson from Syarikat Aliaa said, adding that the "winners" were understandably very disappointed.

If there were any promotions, the company, would announce it though the local media, he said.

Aside from not being able to win prizes, Brunei shoppers should be cautious about purchasing food and drinks from parallel importers because the authorized distributor "will not take any responsibly" on any of these products. He hoped that the relevant authorities would look into the matter soon.

One of the "winners", a Brunei resident who wished to remain anonymous, said that he felt cheated because he thought that he had won a superb prize.

He said that he had tried to claim the prize from the authorized local distributor by producing a gold coupon he found inside one of the 'Pop Mie' packets he had bought from a canteen in Brunei.

"I really hope the local distributors could resolve this problem soon," he said. "I feel so cheated!" -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin