Information Age Highlights Global Opportunities
By CT Hj Mahmod

Bandar Seri Begawan - The fast pace of constant revolutionising in the Information Technology world poses a whole new set of global opportunities as well as global challenges to all players in the world economy.

Information Technology is a pervasively never-ending topic of discussion, especially with Brunei’s ongoing projects such as e-government, e-learning, and e-commerce, it is the big word buzzing in Brunei. And with such a prevalent issue, yesterday’s luncheon address held by Asia Inc Forum on “IT Revolution: What are the New Expectations, Opportunities and Challenges for the Public Sector” was timely.

Timothy Ong, Chairman of Asia Inc. Forum, who recently returned from Bangkok attending the APEC Leaders Summit, said yesterday that ‘IT was among the attention-grabbing issues highlighted during the summit’. He also reiterated on how much the world faces with today’s global challenges.

“Information Technology is a partnership between 2 world class institutions - global leaders and education partners,” he added to deliver the understanding the value of the big question on “how to benefit from IT?”

Ong also said Asia Inc plays a role in helping to shape the future through dialogues. Asia Inc Forum, regarded as local ‘global company”, was among the event organiser who advised the organising committee for APEC Summit 2003 in Bangkok, and is set to advise the organising committee for the next host of the APEC Summit, Chilli.

“And being in the dialogue business from a small country is a tremendous advantage”, he added.

Present at the luncheon were the Deputy Minister of Education, Dato Paduka Awg Hj Suyoi bin Awg Hj Osman, and the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry Culture, Youth and Sports, Awg Hj Jemat bin Hj Ampal.

Government officials, corporate leaders, and members from the diplomatic community circle attended the luncheon held at the Members Grill of the Empire Hotel & Country Club. Professor Michael Ewing from Monash University in the Business and Economics Department of Marketing delivered an address at the function.

The driving technology, technology and the public sector – globally and in South East Asia, and what to expect in the short-to-medium term ‘future’ – beyond e-commerce, were the 3 main issues stressed by Prof Michael Ewing.

Brunei’s progress in their ongoing e-government project was also stressed upon, in which according to Professor Michael Ewing, as at ‘January 2002, Brunei had 48 government sites constructed to a set template and available in Malay and English’.

“However, beyond the ‘basics’ there appears to be lack of depth, but on the upside, the foundations are have been (well) laid out”.

“Now there is a considerable scope to build in Brunei’s IT area,” he added.

He concluded by citing Bill Gates’ warning: “Don’t underestimate the short term impact of technology and underestimate its long term impact’. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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