BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Brunei Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Al-Muhtadee Billah Hassanal Bolkiah attended the BICTA 2026 Awards Ceremony at the Plenary Hall of the International Convention Centre in Berakason Thursday (Aug 27) as the guest of honour.
Minister of Transport and Infocommunications Dato Seri Setia Awang Mohammed Riza Mohammed Yunos in his welcoming address highlighted the role of BICTA in strengthening the national technology and innovation ecosystem.
He shared that BICTA 2026 received 328 entries, representing an increase of approximately 70 per cent from the previous year and reflecting growing interest and participation across the sector.
The minister emphasised that the success of an innovation should be measured not only by the recognition it receives, but also by its capacity to address real needs, enhance productivity, improve service delivery, and generate value for society and the economy.
He added that BICTA will continue to be reinforced as a platform that enables promising solutions to be tested, adopted more widely, and supported in accessing broader markets.
He noted that these initiatives contribute towards the achievement of the Brunei Vision 2035 National Key Performance Indicators (NKPIs), particularly the target of increasing research and development expenditure to one per cent of Gross Domestic Product, alongside enhancing the international recognition of Bruneian achievements in science and technology.
The event proceeded with Chief Judge of BICTA 2026 Pengiran Khairi Metussin presentIng the Judges’ Report, followed by the screening of a video titled The Journey of BICTA 2026, showcasing activities held throughout the year and reflections from participants.
The Prince presented prizes to the winners and recipients across each category as well as the prestigious BICTA Royal Patron Award.
An annual ICT competition organised by MTIC in collaboration with AITI and IFB, the event aims to stimulate innovation and creativity in ICT among individuals, students, and local enterprises.
BICTA is also supported by the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Ministry of Education, and the Brunei Economic Development Board.
This year’s awards carried the theme ‘Innovating for a Digital Brunei’, emphasising the advancement of inclusive and sustainable innovation to enhance productivity, strengthen competitiveness, and drive economic growth in line with the aspirations of Digital Brunei 2030. – Borneo Bulletin/ANN
PHNOM PENH: Cambodia has filed a formal protest against what it described as Thailand’s ongoing violations of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, following the recent deployment of heavy construction equipment in Oddar Meanchey province.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the most recent incursions occurred on Aug 22 and 24. The Thai military reportedly sent heavy machinery into Cambodian territory to excavate a canal in the Chok Krous area of Banteay Ampil district’s Kouk Mon commune.
The ministry noted that these provocations coincided with an unauthorised visit by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to the An Seh area in Preah Vihear province on August 23.
The Cambodian government asserted that both the canal excavation and Anutin’s entry into the An Seh area constitute clear violations of Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as defined by the 1:200,000 scale map.
It cited the June 14, 2000 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the joint declaration of the third special General Border Committee (GBC) meeting held on Dec 27, 2025, as the legal basis for its protest.
“The Cambodian government demands that Thailand cease such activities in the aforementioned areas to de-escalate the situation and promote mutual trust,” the ministry said.
It added that halting such actions would facilitate a peaceful resolution and restore peace, stability and good-neighbourly relations along the Cambodia-Thailand border. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
