Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

• Yang Mulia Abdul Saman bin Haji Ahmad, ASEAN BAC Member and President of the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Brunei Darussalam,

• Yang Mulia Pengiran Aki Ismasufian bin Pengiran Haji Ibrahim, Chair, APEC Business Advisory Council and CEO of Standard Chartered Bank,

• Members of the ASEAN and APEC Business Advisory Council

• Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

1. Thank you to the ASEAN and APEC Business Advisory Councils of Brunei, the sponsors and partners of the Brunei Economy Programme for convening this annual Digital Economy Forum, a timely platform that brings us together to shape Brunei’s digital future.  

2. We meet at a moment when the world of technology is changing at unprecedented speed, particulary in ASEAN and in the wider Asia Pacific. Advances in artificial intelligence are compressing innovation cycles, reshaping industries, and redefining the nature of work. For small, open economies like Brunei, the question is not whether these shifts will affect us, but whether we have laid strong enough foundations to harness their benefits safely and competitively.  

3. This is why the theme of the forum today “Laying the Foundations for Brunei’s Digital Future: Infrastructure, Connectivity, and Governance” matters to our economy, to our society and to our collective future. Infrastructure, Connectivity, and Governance are the national foundations that determine whether digitalisation becomes a real engine of productivity, diversification, and inclusive prosperity, consistent with Wawasan Brunei 2035.

 

4. Ladies and Gentlemen, we find ourselves today at a meaningful juncture in Brunei Darussalam’s digital journey. As the year 2025 is drawing to a close, we are also coming towards the concluding chapter of the Digital Economy Master Plan 2025 — the roadmap that has guided our nation’s digitalisation efforts over the past five years. Shortly after the launch of the Masterplan in 2020, the world was thrown in turmoil. COVID-19 was not merely a health crisis but a profound test of national resilience. It exposed vulnerabilities, accelerated existing trends, and forced every society to reflect on how prepared they truly were for a digital future.

5. For Brunei, that period was transformative. Digital technologies stepped out of the margins and into the centre of national life. When movement was restricted, when schools and offices had to adapt, when society needed continuity of essential public services — digital solutions kept the country functioning. We saw first-hand how digital readiness could soften shocks, support national responses, and safeguard public wellbeing. The pandemic made one truth unmistakable: digital transformation is not a luxury. It is a necessity, a strategic investment, and a cornerstone of national resilience.

6. Today, as we reflect on the closing chapter of the Digital Economy Master Plan, we do so not merely to look back, but to recognise how far we have come — and to understand, with clarity and honesty, what must come next.

7. Over the past five years, Brunei has made significant progress in its Digtialization journey. One of our most notable achievements is the strength of our digital infrastructure. Today, we stand among the most connected nations in ASEAN, with internet penetration reaching nearly 99%, and with a baseline 100 Mbps fixed broadband speed made available nationwide. We have rolled out 5G connectivity, placing Brunei firmly in the ranks of digital-ready economies. 

8. These are achievements that many countries pursue for decades. We have accomplished them within a short span of time, through deliberate policy choices, strong collaboration between government and industry, and a shared national commitment to modernisation. 

9. Alongside network upgrades, we fundamentally reshaped our telecommunications landscape. The creation of a centralised wholesale network under Unified National Networks allowed us to modernise systems rapidly and cost-effectively, enabling Brunei’s operators to deliver improved speeds and service quality while focusing on innovation and customer experience. This structural reform laid the technical backbone for the digital nation we aspire to build.

10. Equally important, we also advanced our core digital government systems. The National Information Hub is operational, enabling secure data sharing across multiple agencies — a prerequisite for more seamless, more integrated, and more intelligent public services. BruneiID, our national digital identity, has been in internal testing with real users and will shortly be undergoing phased deployment. Its features — such as secure authentication and identity verification — will, in time, underpin both government and private-sector digital transactions. And the Digital Payment Hub, through TARUS is already launched, allowing interorable payments between multiple payment platforms that simplify payments for consumers and merchants across multiple platforms.

11. These three platforms — the NIH, BruneiID, and the Digital Payment Hub — form the digital spine of future public services: trusted identity, secure data, and frictionless transactions. Together, they represent a profound investment in the digital trust infrastructure that any modern nation requires.

12. We have also witnessed progress in sector-specific digitalisation. BruHealth, which emerged during our COVID-19 response, has evolved into one of the most widely used digital platforms in the country, demonstrating that when public services address real needs with real convenience, adoption follows naturally. The education sector has advanced through the Ministry of Education’s Digital Transformation Plan, integrating digital tools into teaching, learning, administration, and inclusivity initiatives. 

13. And in the realm of digital governance, we have taken important steps to strengthen trust, security, and accountability. The Cybersecurity Act and our national cybersecurity strategy continue to enhance Brunei’s readiness against rising digital threats. The Personal Data Protection Order 2025, with its clear obligations and high standards, positions Brunei among regional leaders in data governance.

14. These accomplishments, and many others, collectively form a strong foundation. Yet, ladies and gentlemen, as any engineer will tell you: foundations, no matter how strong, are only the beginning. We still have to build the rest of the building for it to function.

15. As we look at our progress realistically, we must also acknowledge that Brunei today faces a new set of challenges — paradoxes that emerge not from digital weakness, but from digital maturity. As highlighted in a recent study from UTB examining the adoption of Digital Transformation has found that despite our success in driving digital infrastructure parties remain “sluggish in Digital Adoption”. The study showed that factors to slow digital transformation includes resistance to change, insufficient leadership in respective industries, and low workforce readiness. 

16. The sluggish adoption has led to several paradoxes that requires a different kind of national response. The first paradox is that of high connectivity but low economic output. Despite our world-class infrastructure, the ICT sector accounts for only around 2.3% of GDP — far below what nations with similar connectivity typically achieve. This means that while we have built the rails, not enough economic activity is running on them.

17. The second paradox is high readiness but low utilisation of advanced technologies. Most businesses use basic digital tools — but only 10% adopt cloud computing, data analytics, or automation. These are the technologies that drive productivity, innovation, and competitiveness. Without deeper adoption, Brunei risks becoming digitally connected but not digitally competitive.

18. The third paradox is high adoption of digital payment systems but low active usage. Another recent academic study found that more than 70% of Bruneians have mobile wallets, yet only a minority use them frequently. Cash remains dominant, and behavioural inertia continues to slow the transition to a cashless society.

19. Recognizing these paradoxes is essential, because they define the next phase of Brunei’s digital journey. We are moving from the era of “building infrastructure” is now. The era ahead is one of activation, utilisation, competitiveness, trust, and value creation. It is this shift — from readiness to results — that forms the heart of the upcoming Digital Brunei Transformation Plan for 2030.

20. Earlier this year, the Ministry ran a workshop with participants from all sectors public and private. In that the first question that was presented to participants was on the vision on what a Digital Brunei should look like. Answers ranged from a broad spectrum including the usual digital government services to seamless and cross-boarder payments, to creating an AI fluent society. So, I also put this question towards the forum, “What do you envision a Digital Brunei to look like in 2030?”

21. While we are still finalizing the details on the upcoming Digital Transformation Plan, allow me to share the direction that guides it. We aim for a more integrated and interoperable digital ecosystem — one where government and private-sector systems talk to one another, where BruneiID and the Digital Payment Hub become everyday tools, and where data flows securely to support better services and smarter decisions. We will place strong emphasis on deepening utilization among businesses, ensuring that digital tools are not only available but are actively used to streamline operations, enhance competitiveness, and open new markets.

22. We will prioritize trust — not only in the legal sense, but as a national asset, where public trusts our digital ecosystem. This means strengthening the enforcement capabilities under the PDPO, advancing cybersecurity maturity, and ensuring transparency and accountability in how data is governed. We will continue investing in human capital. It demands accelerated training, deeper industry partnerships, and a strong focus on competencies in AI, cloud, cybersecurity, and data engineering — the skill sets that underpin tomorrow’s economy.

23. Above all, the DBTP will emphasise impact for business and scoeity. The next frontier is not how many megabits our networks can deliver, but how effectively our people and businesses can use them to create value — value that grows the economy, diversifies exports, raises productivity, and builds high-quality, future-ready jobs.

24. To deliver the DBTP we also need to strengthen and create robust institutional arrangements that coordinates and drives accountability across all different stakeholder groups. The digitalization of the nation is a shared responsibility not an individual one. 

 

25. Naturally this is all aligned with the goals of Wawasan 2035 to have a well-educated population, a high quality of life, as well as a dynamic and sustainable economy. These ambitious goals will be greatly assisted by with strong foundations of digital transformation, technology and innovation. 

26. Rapid and sustained economic growth and competitiveness relies on emerging technologies such as generative AI, access to modern 5G and fixed broadband connectivity, e-commerce, cyber safe applications and services that together create new jobs, innovation and industries that create growth as well as new levels of economic inclusion and empowerment. Naturally this will also require the development of the necessary Digital Skill sets to support the required transformation.

27. Additionally, businesses will depend on digital technologies to compete in new markets outside Brunei, innovate to create products and services and automate processes and transform productivity.

28. This brings me to an equally important part of our future: ASEAN regional integration through the Digital Economy Framework Agreement, or DEFA. In October this year, ASEAN reached substantial conclusion of DEFA negotiations — a milestone that will shape the trajectory of regional digitalisation for decades to come. DEFA is expected to be formally signed in 2026, making it the world’s first region-wide, stand-alone digital economy agreement.

29. For Brunei, DEFA is far more than a policy framework. It is an economic opportunity of historic scale. It will open access to a harmonised digital market of nearly 700 million people. It will reduce cross-border regulatory friction. It will standardise rules for data flows, privacy, cybersecurity, and e-commerce. And it will strengthen interoperability in digital payments, digital identity, and paperless trade. These are precisely the foundations that small economies need in order to scale.

30. DEFA also plays to Brunei’s strengths. Our open stance on cross-border data flows, our modern PDPO, our political stability, and our high-quality infrastructure position Brunei as a trusted and attractive location for regional digital services. But to fully leverage this advantage, we must enhance enforcement capacity, modernise policies, strengthen connectivity resilience, and ensure that our MSMEs — the backbone of our economy — have the tools and knowledge to navigate cross-border digital trade.

31. It is no coincidence that DEFA aligns so closely with our national direction. In 2021, Brunei led ASEAN in launching the Bandar Seri Begawan Roadmap — the very roadmap that set the region on this path toward digital integration. DEFA is the culmination of that vision. And so, as DEFA moves toward implementation, we must not be passive participants. We must be active contributors and strategic beneficiaries.

32. Ladies and gentlemen, in reflecting on our journey — from the turbulence of COVID-19, through the progress of DEMP, to the emerging opportunities of DBTP and DEFA — one message is clear: Brunei has built the foundations. The question now is how we build upon them. 

33. Let this Forum be a catalyst for that next step. Let it spark new partnerships, new ideas, and new resolve. Let us work together to shift from high readiness to high performance; from strong foundations to strong outcomes; from being digital users to becoming digital contributors.

34. If we act boldly, collaborate sincerely, and execute with discipline, Insha’Allah, Brunei will not merely adapt to the digital future — we will help shape it. The next phase of our digital journey is a collective one; digital are the tools and enablers that we need to leverage on to deliver a future anchored by Wawasan 2035. I am looking forward to work together towards a digital future of Brunei Darussalam.

Wabillahi taufik walhidayah. Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.