By Izah Azahari
The Ministry of Transport and
Infocommunications (MTIC) has activated 983 telecommunication towers to
provide extensive network coverage services, and with an allocation of
BND3 million, four villages under the National Development Plan (RKN)
Rural Tower Project will be covered as well.
Minister of Transport and
Infocommunications Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul Mutalib
bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yusof, during the
Legislative Council session, said the villages are Kampong Sukang,
Kampong Melilas and Kampong Apak-Apak in Belait District, and Kampong
Long Mayan in Tutong District.
The effort to continuously upgrade the
telecommunication infrastructure in the country has brought the
Sultanate to second place among ASEAN member countries in the
Telecommunications Infrastructure Index, according to the United Nations
E-Government Survey Report 2020.
Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul
Mutalib also said that the 176 cases of cable theft from September 2019
to March 2021 need to be addressed in an integrated manner with the
cooperation of several parties, including enforcement agencies and
grassroots leaders, adding that “dissemination campaigns are needed to
generate awareness and public cooperation in combatting it”.
Earlier, the minister shared that the
initiatives implemented by the MTIC are guided by three key strategic
policies that were launched last year – Digital Economy Masterplan 2025
under the Digital Economy Council as the main policy to make Brunei
Darussalam a smart country while encouraging and enhancing the
socio-economic growth through digital transformation; MTIC Strategic
Plan (MTIC 2025) to support Brunei Vision 2035; and Road Safety
Strategic Plan for Brunei Darussalam 2025 to drive safety initiatives
and standards of the country’s land transport sector.
“In line with the Digital Economy
Masterplan 2025, it is based on integrated action between government
agencies, industry and the general public,” said the minister. “As a
foundation for digital transformation, several initiatives have been and
will be implemented.”
Among the initiatives are the E-Government
National Centre (EGNC) project which is the National Centralised
Database (NCDB) under RKN11 with an allocated budget of BND8.9 million,
which includes the National Information Hub to prepare a platform for
data sharing that is safe and guaranteed; centralising funding of
computer licences used by ministries that contribute to the optimal and
prudent use of resources with an allocated budget of BND8.2 million
under EGNC; and improving the effectiveness of government services to
the public online and through mobile applications; improving internal
processes through the gov.bn portal; taking advantage of mobile
applications such as TransportBN which has continued to increase
annually since its introduction in 2019; the launch of the new
‘Nomborku’ on February 24; and the full use of e-Office in internal
document correspondence management at MTIC.
On Cyber Security Brunei (CSB), Yang
Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul Mutalib said it was established to
create a secure digital environment as the national cyber security
agency. “Currently, CSB is actively conducting public awareness
activities on best practices in cybersecurity. In 2020, 66 briefing
sessions were held involving the community, including students and
youth.”
On the aspects of strengthening governance
in digital transformation, the minister said the MTIC is preparing two
main legal frameworks: the Cyber Security Order which focusses on action
in dealing with cybersecurity threats and incidents; and the Personal
Data Protection Order, which aims to preserve the use, collection and
disclosure of personal data by the private sector.
Towards shaping a society ready for a
digital future, the minister said the ministry is looking to provide 300
locals with IT-industry skills every year, which can be achieved
through collaboration with the Manpower Planning and Employment Council
(MPEC) through the Manpower Industry Steering Committee Working Group
for the ICT Sector.
In the transportation sector, the minister
said the public bus transport services will be improved through the use
of technology.
He said, “Towards this end, the Public
Transport Information System is working with the Land Transport
Department (JPD), Authority for Info-communications Technology of Brunei
Darussalam (AITI) and public bus transport companies to provide
information in real time with its implementation target in the third
quarter of 2021.”
Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul
Mutalib also lauded the decreasing trend of road fatalities – 67 per
cent from 2015 to 2020 – which is in line with the Brunei Darussalam
National Road Safety Strategic Plan 2025 – zero road accident fatalities
by 2025.
“To maintain the trend, through the
National Road Safety Council (MKKJR), awareness campaigns must continue
to be conducted including the Road Safety Awareness Programme in early
March which featured the launch of the e-book, Understanding Your
Vehicle,” he said.
Meanwhile, as the launch of the Electric
Vehicle (EV) Pilot Project will be held tomorrow, the minister shared
that the 5G Technology Pilot Project will also be launched in April to
explore the potential of 5G technology.
Several locations have been identified to
showcase the capabilities of 5G technology through use-cases that can be
leveraged towards digital innovation and transformation in the country.
“Insya Allah, the projects and initiatives
that support the economic growth of the country will be implemented
through the allocation of regular expenses and development expenditure
supported for the MTIC totalling BND143,754,979,” said the minister.
Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin
