BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – The Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications (MTIC) will draft guidelines on the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) following the growing adoption of generative AI tools.
The guidelines will help regulate and address ethical issues on the use of AI, MTIC Minister Pg Dato Shamhary Pg Dato Hj Mustapha said in his budget readout at the Legislative Council on Wednesday.
He said it is undeniable that the use of AI has attracted a lot of attention, and its rapid growth requires the provision of a regulatory framework to control its use.
The guidelines will be aligned with regional and international initiatives such as the ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics, the minister added.
MTIC also plans to work with other stakeholders and discuss AI use cases, its impact on jobs and ensure the workforce is equipped with the necessary skills.
Generative AI — which uses algorithms to generate data in the form of images and text — has changed the nature of work in 2023, and is projected to rise at a compound annual growth rate of 42% over the next 10 years.
An International Monetary Fund study found that an estimated 40% of jobs are at risk of being replaced by AI in emerging economies.
Pg Dato Shamhary said $8.75 million has been allocated for cyber security management in the 2024/25 fiscal year to ensure a safe and secure digital environment.
Over $25 million earmarked for e-government projects
MTIC has set aside $25.64 million for five e-government projects under the 12th National Development Plan (RKN12), which will be implemented over five years.
The projects include a government data centre and cloud infrastructure, software defined network infrastructure, data-analytics-as-a-service, records management system and GOV.BN 2.0.
The minister said $6 million will be spent on revamping GOV.BN — the one-stop government services portal.
“Using the latest technology of low-code platform to digitise government services, it will facilitate the development of online services.
“Government apps will always be updated for security patches and the like,” Pg Dato Shamhary added.
The 24-month overhaul of the portal will include the provision of mobile apps for online government services and a form builder to facilitate the digitalisation of public services.
Another $5 million will go towards the development of a records management system, a platform that will be used by all government agencies for document management.
The minister said the system will make it easier for users to access files, reduce the use of paper, improve time management and optimise the use of technology.
He added that the digital management of records and documents is important in improving the quality of public service delivery.
Meanwhile, Pg Dato Shamhary said two flagship projects under the Digital Economy Masterplan 2025 – Digital Identity and Digital Payment Hub – will be launched by the end of this year.
The digital identity project will enable individuals to access online government services in a secure manner, while the digital payment gateway will facilitate online and cross-border payments.
Citing data from the Department of Economic Planning and Statistics, Pg Dato Shamhary said the ICT sector grew 3.9% in 2023 compared to the previous year.
MTIC receives 23.8% budget bump to upgrade airport, Muara Port
The ministry tabled a budget of $138.39 million for FY 2024/25, which represents a 23.8% growth from the previous financial year.
A separate budget of $83.86 million has been allocated for seven RKN12 projects to upgrade infrastructure and equipment at the Brunei International Airport.
The projects are airport runway rehabilitation; new instrument landing system and distance measuring system; installation of security fences and intrusion detection system; upgrade of inspection equipment and surveillance systems; upgrade of aerodrome facilities and infrastructure; primary and secondary surveillance radar systems; and surface movement radar.
Pg Dato Shamhary said the Brunei International Airport is still operating below capacity, and there are opportunities for further development in cargo handling, logistics, as well as aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul services.
Traffic volume has risen in the transport sector – including land, maritime and air – but is still below pre-pandemic levels, said the minister.
Brunei International Airport handled 1.21 million travellers in 2023, accounting for 55% of the highest passenger traffic recorded in 2019. However, the 2023 figures represented an increase of 119% compared to 2022.
Moreover, cargo handling at Brunei International Airport increased 52% to about 12,000 tonnes last year compared to 2022. Nevertheless, this remains below the 2019 level by 47%.
The minister went on to say that the expansion of Muara Port will begin in the third quarter of 2024, with completion by 2027.
Managed by Brunei-China joint venture Muara Port Company, Brunei’s main container terminal is expected to double its capacity from the current 220,000 TEUs to 500,000 TEUs a year.
There were 12,801 inbound and outbound ships in 2023, the highest in the past five years.
“This indicates that the transport industry, especially shipping, is one of the beneficiaries of the downstream [oil and gas] industry and export-oriented production developments, the minister said.
Gov’t to amend laws on automatic driving test
Prospective drivers will be able to take a driving test using automatic cars after the government has amended the Road Traffic Order, Pg Dato Shamhary said.
The 3A driving license will be applicable for vehicles under 3,000kg, and drivers holding this license will not be allowed to use cars with a manual transmission.
“With the availability of this option, it is hoped that drivers will be more focused and devote more time to learning about driving safety,” the minister said, without disclosing the time frame of introducing the new option.
MTIC has also budgeted $11.7 million to improve public transport under RKN12, of which $7 million will be used to fund the smart transport system that allows authorities to better monitor and regulate transport services and boost safety.
About $4.7 million will be spent on developing and rehabilitating bus stop infrastructure on major routes.
In addition, the government will embark on a $8.74 million land transport service digitisation project, or DriveBN.
The minister said the project is expected to streamline the workflow of the Land Transport Department, cutting the number of processes from 104 to 33.
It will further allow the department to offer a full range of online services, while strengthening its management and efficiency.