Monday, 25 August 2025, at 8.30 Am

Dewan Mawaddah, Tingkat 7, Setia Point

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

1. Yang Berhormat Ministers and Legislative Council Members, Yang Mulia Deputy Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Deputy Permanent Secretaries, senior government officials, business leaders, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. A very good morning to you all.

2. Thank you for your presence and willingness to be involved in today’s event. This workshop is an important milestone in shaping the Digital Brunei Transformation Plan.

3. As all may be aware, the preparation of the plan was mentioned by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di Pertuan of Negara Brunei Darussalam at the investiture ceremony during His Majesty’s 79th Birthday Titah.

4. The new Digital Brunei Transformation Plan serves to take over where the Digital Economy Masterplan 2025 will leave us by the end of this year.

5. The Digital Economy Masterplan 2025 has served us well. It has helped to bring us to where we are now, and at the same time provided us lessons on what can be further improved.

6. Over the five-year span, the country continued to uplift broadband capacity to raise minimum internet speeds nationwide. The rollout of 5G has opened new opportunities for citizens and businesses, and enabling innovation and growth. 

7. Today, broadband internet penetration has reached 99 percent. Connectivity should no longer be the barrier. The challenge now lies in meaningful adoption and meaningful use of these digital systems.

8. The three Flagship projects under the Masterplan are also at various stages of implementation, namely the National Information Hub, Digital Payment Gateway and Digital Identity.

9. We have also introduced policies and rules to enable a more trusted digital ecosystem, that includes the Cybersecurity Order 2023 and the Personal Data Protection Order 2025, ensuring that citizens’ privacy and data remain safeguarded. To foster further growth and innovation in the digital space, the Internet of Things - Network and Service Provider Licence was also introduced in 2024.

10. Now, equipped with the experience and renewed drive to reach Wawasan 2035 goals, we have the opportunity to reconsolidate and place more vigour in our national efforts towards digitalization.

11. Digitalization not just for the sake of digitalization, but on its key importance to reach Wawasan 2035 goals and the goals of the various supporting Blueprints underpinning it. There are efforts to provide clarity on what needs to be achieved under those specific blueprints. These should serve as our guiding light and the north star.

12. As an example, the Economic Blueprint has set an ambitious target for the ICT Service Sector’s contribution to GDP, at BND1.3billion by 2035. The current contribution is less than half of that. The assumptions are that the ICT Sector will see a transformation from a TelCo dominated sector to more digital economy activities such as digital financial services, e-commerce, food delivery, online travel, e-mobility, digital media, and e-government public services.

13. In tune with this thinking and with the consent of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Negara Brunei Darussalam, the Digital Economy Council has been restructured into the Digital Brunei Council. This reflects a broader scope and a stronger mandate to lead national transformation across government, society, and industry.

14. Digital transformation cannot be achieved by government alone. It must be through a holistic and collective effort, uniting the public sector, private industry, academia, and the wider community in a shared purpose, hence for your presence today.

15. Alongside this, we also face another defining reality: Artificial Intelligence. According to the AI Readiness Index, Brunei currently ranks 74th globally. This statistic shows both the challenge we face and the opportunity before us. AI is expected to contribute 13 trillion US dollars to the global economy by 2030. Yet it also carries risks, with reports suggesting that up to 30 percent of jobs may be disrupted by automation in the coming decade. 

16. On this, we cannot afford to wait. We must act decisively. Should Brunei remain only a user or consumers of these technologies, or can we seize a role within the regional and global value chains, whether as a trusted location for data infrastructure, or as a hub for niche digital services and innovation? 

17. Above all, we must prepare our people.  Reskilling and upskilling must be national priorities so that our workforce is not only ready for the jobs of tomorrow but can thrive in them.

18. As such, the Digital Brunei Transformation Plan must become the enabler. It must drive economic diversification, empower our workforce with digital skills, and ensure digital inclusion and trust across society.

19. This is why today’s workshop is so critical. We are not only discussing technology, we are deciding how digital transformation will shape our economy, our society, and our nation’s future.

20. By the end of today’s workshop, I hope we can agree on three deliverables: a shortlist of priority actions, a set of enabling policies, and most importantly, a shared national commitment across government, industry, and society to move forward together.

21. Ladies and gentlemen, Wawasan Brunei 2035 calls upon us to build a highly skilled people, a dynamic economy, and a high quality of life. Digital transformation is not optional. It is the engine that will carry us to that destination.

22. Let us act boldly today, so that tomorrow, Brunei stands not just as followers, but to lead with its own purpose, a nation that advances with trust, inclusivity, and vision.

23. I wish you all success and once again look forward to your active participation and meaningful contributions.

Wabillahi taufik walhidayah wasalamualaikum warahmatullahi barakatuh.