Two Bruneian teams obtained three merit awards at the recent 22nd Asia Pacific ICT Alliance (APICTA) Awards 2023 held in Hong Kong.
Ma’had Islam Brunei received two awards under the Junior Student Category with their products ‘Brugency’ and ‘Mr Grabbish’. Meanwhile, ODE Aquaculture and Agriculture Company Sdn Bhd received one award under the Technology – Internet of Things of the Year category for their product ‘Alquatic Tech’.
The 22nd APICTA Awards was participated by 200 teams from sixteen member economies with over 250 entries.
Brunei Darussalam was represented by nine teams with ten products comprising winners and runners-up of the Brunei ICT Awards (BICTA) 2023.
Throughout the competition, participants went through intensive judging sessions with a panel of judges comprising international ICT industry experts, members of the academia and government representatives.
Participants also experienced the local culture and networked with fellow ICT industry players and competitors among the APICTA member economies.
Brunei Darussalam’s participation in the APICTA Awards is a continuous initiative by MTIC, AITI and
IFB to stimulate innovation and creativity in ICT.
It is also aimed to develop the nation’s ICT sector by encouraging individuals, students and businesses to compete at the international level.
“APICTA Awards has given the winners international recognition and further elevates their products on a global platform,” said MTIC, AITI and IFB in a statement.
During the awarding ceremony, Brunei Darussalam was announced to be the next host for the 23rd APICTA Awards in 2024.
On hand to receive the handover flag as host of APICTA 2024 was MTIC Deputy Permanent Secretary (Infocommunications) Haji Hairul Mohd Daud Haji Abdul Karim presented by Government Chief Information Officer from the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Ir Tony Wong JP and Chief Judge of APICTA 2023 Agnes Mak MH JP.
The presentation was witnessed by Chair of APICTA Committee Fulvio Inserra and other officers from MTIC, AITI as well as APICTA judges.
The APICTA Awards is an annual international awards programme that aims to increase ICT awareness in the community and assist in bridging the digital divide.
By providing networking and product benchmarking opportunities to ICT innovators and entrepreneurs in the region, the programme is designed to stimulate ICT innovation and creativity, promote economic and trade relations, facilitate technology transfer, and offer business matching opportunities via exposure to venture capitalists and investors.
APICTA consists of seventeen economies, namely Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Macao, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, People’s Republic of China, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
The Bruneian contingent’s arrival at the airport was welcomed by Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Mohammad Tashim Pengiran Haji Hassan, MTIC Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications and Co-Chairman I of BICTA 2023 Steering Committee Ir Haji Mohammad Nazri Haji Mohammad Yusof as well as Permanent Secretary at Ministry of Religious Affairs (MORA) Haji Mohammad Rosli Haji Ibrahim.
Also present were MORA Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary Haji Shamshol Haji Omar, Chief Executive of AITI and member of the BICTA Steering Committee Ir. Haji Jailani Haji Buntar as well as senior officers from MTIC, MORA, Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB), AITI and IFB.
THE BRUNEIAN | BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
