OPENING REMARKS BY

YANG MULIA AWANG HAJI MOHAMMAD NAZRI BIN

HAJI MOHAMMAD YUSOF

PERMANENT SECRETARY

MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT AND INFOCOMMUNICATIONS

AS CO-CHAIRMAN I OF THE BICTA STEERING COMMITTEE

IN CONJUCTION WITH

BICTA ALUMNI EVENT

THURSDAY, 17TH JUNE 2021

2.00 PM

MUSYAWARAH HALL, ICC

Bismillahir Rahman Nir Rahim

Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alameen, Wassalatu Wassalamu ’Alaa Ashrafil Anbia’e Walmursaleen Sayyidina Muhammadin Wa’ala Alihie Wasahbihie Ajma’een.

Yang Berhormat,

Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Awang Mohammad Yusof

Minister of Transport and Infocommunications;

Yang Mulia

Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Ahmaddin bin Haji Abdul Rahman

Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy (Fiscal)

Ministry of Finance and Economy

Yang Mulia

Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Matsatejo bin Sokiaw,

Deputy Minister of Energy and Chairman of the Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI);

Yang Berhormat

Dayang Siti Rozaimeriyanty binti Dato Seri Laila Jasa Awang Haji Abdul Rahman,

Member of Legislative Council and AITI’s Member of Authority;

Permanent Secretaries and Deputy Permanent Secretaries;

Members of BICTA Steering Committee;

BICTA Alumni Members;

Senior government officials;

Friends from the industry and media,

Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh and a very good afternoon.

1. We are very honoured to have with us today Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Awang Mohammad Yusof, the Minister of Transport and Info-communications as the Guest of Honour for this inaugural networking event of BICTA Alumni.

2. I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of everyone here to express our gratitude to Yang Berhormat Dato for taking the time to grace this occasion. Yang Berhormat Dato, Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

3. I am very pleased to welcome all of you to the very first BICTA Alumni event. Having this event held during the Digital Technology Week of the Mid-Year Conference and Exhibition (MYCE 2021), gives us the opportunity to highlight our appreciation to those who have contributed in sustaining BICTA’s momentum throughout the years.

4. The set up of BICTA Alumni was mooted in 2019 during one of the BICTA Steering Committee meetings whose focus includes the strategy and future direction of BICTA. Amongst the objectives of the BICTA Alumni are to keep track of past BICTA participants’ products and their development, and to provide a platform for past BICTA participants to network with industry leaders, businesses, technical experts and potential investors.

5. Since the first establishment of BICTA back in 2004, we have successfully reached out to 369 past BICTA participants and judges with more than half, 245 to be exact, that has already registered as BICTA Alumni members. To embody our appreciation for their dedication and participation over the years,

we have listed their names on the BICTA website.

6. I am also proud to share that, to date, despite our market size ,more than 30 of our past BICTA participants currently have an active product. At least 5 products have also gone beyond Brunei’s market, which amongst others are MindTrex, AgromeIQ, Mars ERP, Islamic Brunei Educator and Al-Huffaz Management.

7. Looking at how far these products have gone, BICTA has, indeed served as an encouraging platform for the development of innovative ICT products. BICTA has also been leveraged upon by passionate and visionary entrepreneurs to put forward their ideas for transformation from prototypes to commercial and sustainable products.

8. As such, the program today includes sharing session between past BICTA participants on their experiences, challenges and aspirations, to inspire and drive the motivation of our innovators.

Yang Berhormat Dato, Ladies and Gentlemen,

9. With the event today, BICTA Alumni will be part of future journey of BICTA; to be an active player in supporting digital transformation in Brunei Darussalam.

We can look forward to initiatives by BICTA Alumni, such as through business and networking events and activities. Insha Allah this will create a more vibrant and conducive environment for our BICTA participants to progress further in line with the vision of the Digital Economy Masterplan 2025, Smart Nation through Digital Transformation. 

Yang Berhormat Dato, Ladies and gentlemen,

10.To conclude, once again, I would like to convey our heartfelt appreciation once again to our Guest of Honour, Yang Berhormat Dato Minister of Transport and Infocommunications, for gracing this afternoon’s event. 

11.I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate the organizing committee from the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications (MTIC), Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI), InfoCom Federation Brunei (IFB) and BICTA Alumni Members for

working closely together to make this event a success.

Wabillahi Taufik Walhidayah, Wassalamu Alaikum Warrahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.