Answer for Oral Question PL098

QUESTION

Yang Berhormat Awang Abdul Aziz bin Haji Hamdan

YANG BERHORMAT AWANG ABDUL AZIZ BIN HAJI HAMDAN asked MENTERI PENGANGKUTAN DAN INFOKOMUNIKASI to state the Ministry’s efforts to enhance and integrate digital technology so that it can be fully utilised by the people and the business sector.

ANSWER

Yang Berhormat Menteri Pengangkutan dan Infokomunikasi

Efforts Towards Industry Digitalisation
(Industry Digitalisation – Digital Economy Masterplan)

Industry Digitalisation is one of the strategic pillars identified under the Digital Economy Masterplan 2025, which focuses on empowering local entrepreneurs through digital transformation and subsequently supporting the country’s socio-economic growth.

The Masterplan has completed its implementation phase and, Alhamdulillah, among other things, included the implementation of the 'Digital Payment Hub', which is a key infrastructure supporting industry digitalisation. Through the 'Digital Payment Hub' (Tarus) platform, integration between various payment systems is enabled, thereby allowing users to make instant payments to anyone in the country. The 'pilot phase' for this project was completed in the third quarter of 2024. The Tarus platform was initially launched ('soft-launch') in March 2025, enabling money transfers ('fund transfer') via telephone numbers, with the service being available 24/7. To date, more than BND 2 million in transactions have been processed, and a total of 15,500 unique users have been successfully registered on the Tarus platform.

In addition, AITI has also implemented several initiatives aimed at driving the adoption of digital technology within the industrial sector by encouraging the use of digital solutions among micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The initiatives currently being implemented include:

(i) Skim PENJANA – introduced in February 2022, PENJANA (Productivity and Efficiency Joint Funding for Digital Adoption) is a cost-sharing financial assistance scheme to help MSMEs adopt information and communications technology (ICT) and digital solutions. The scheme offers up to 100% subscription fee subsidies for 14 digital solutions, such as 'Digital Point of Sale' (POS) and Human Resource Management Systems (HRMS). The programme also aims to encourage micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to adopt digital solutions to increase productivity, reduce operating costs and improve overall efficiency.

(ii) MSME Tech Clinic – introduced in early 2022 and launched in March 2023, this is one of AITI’s initiatives to help increase the use of digital technology among local MSMEs. The programme offers free technical advisory and consultancy services, as well as open discussions with consultants to understand how digital applications can be adopted in their operations and businesses. The programme ended in June 2025, with a total of 69 MSMEs having used the service.

(iii) Program Startup 673 – this is a joint venture project operated by Shell LiveWIRE Brunei, Lembaga Kemajuan Ekonomi Brunei and AITI through the Brunei Innovation Lab (BIL) platform. Introduced in January 2024, it serves as a platform for fostering entrepreneurship and innovation through the generation of innovative ideas capable of enhancing the development of local businesses. Among the intended outcomes is the generation of innovative ideas related to digital solutions and technology. It will be conducted through three (3) phases, namely Idea and Innovation; Validation and Prototyping; and Growth and Development. To date, three (3) cohorts ('cycle') have been completed, involving 167 participants, while 66 participants were recorded for the Ministry of Health Edition. Alhamdulillah, a total of 25 start-up companies have been established as a result of the joint venture.

(iv) Program Tech Immersion – this programme commenced in 2022 for participants who were BICTA graduates and selected 'Start-Up' companies, enabling them to further develop their products by enhancing the value of the participants’ products (Minimum Viable Product (MVP)) and providing them with a competitive advantage for sustainability in the domestic and international markets.

This is a systematic five-week mentoring programme conducted by international experts to apply technologies such as 'Artificial Intelligence', 'Internet of Things' (IoT) and 'Data Analytics' to the participants’ products, as well as to ensure that the products can be commercialised.

A total of eighteen (18) 'Start-up' companies participated in this programme and produced products such as 'Rubryx AI' by RVest and 'Smart Farming using AI and IoT' by Fatih Aquaculture.

Digital Brunei 2030: DBTP

As a further step, continuous efforts are also being actively undertaken to prepare the Digital Brunei 2030 Masterplan: Digital Brunei Transformation Plan, which serves as a continuation of the previous Digital Economy Masterplan.

Among the key actions and policy requirements discussed in the preparation of the Digital Brunei 2030 Masterplan ('Digital Brunei Transformation Plan') are:

(i) In terms of the digital economy ('digital economy'), there is a need to review policies to encourage 'cashless businesses' by highlighting their benefits; encourage the use of cashless and interoperable systems to ensure seamless integration; and attract investment in the development of data centres, green energy and the country’s 'national cloud'.

(ii) Regarding the digitally skilled workforce ('Digitally Skilled Workforce'), the aim is to maintain engagement with industry to ensure that ICT skills are aligned with current workforce requirements; implement industry-led placements to provide practical workplace exposure; and expand collaboration with international partners to increase exposure and experience at the global level.