ICT connectivity more crucial than ranking

BRUNEI DARUSSALAM'S relatively high ranking in a global scorechart on information and communications technology (ICT) for 134 countries is not a good measure of the Sultanate's competitiveness, said a leading Bruneian businessman.

"There is no point" about making conclusions or interpretations out of Brunei's 63rd rank in the 2008-2009 World Economic Forum's (WEF) Global ICT Report, said the businessman who is regarded as among key personalities in the domestic IT sector. "Our connectivity, our legal framework and our public key infrastructure aren't even in place," he said, declining to be named.

On the other hand, Hui Kwok Leong, director of iCentre, an IT incubation facility, said the rankings are important as it would make it easier for local IT firms to introduce their software in markets overseas.

It is the first time for Brunei to be included in the rankings. For this year, neighbours Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand ranked higher than Brunei at No 4, No 28, and No 47, respectively.

Brunei fared better than other Southeast Asian countries Vietnam (70th), Indonesia (83rd), Philippines (85th) and Cambodia (126th).

The Report underlines good education fundamentals and high levels of technological readiness and innovation as essential engines of growth needed to overcome the current economic crisis.

Under the theme "Mobility in a Networked World", this year's WEF report places a particular focus on the relationship and interrelations between mobility and ICT.

"I think that the ranking is not important now because ... before we can start competing with other countries and getting concerned with rankings, (Brunei first has) to make sure it has everything in order," the businessman said, declining to be named. The country needs to start getting its ICT industry intact.

The simplest things such as Internet connection are not even stable yet, he said, noting the difficulty of ensuring uninterrupted connection.

And there's no payment gateway for Internet users to pay their Internet bills online, he noted.

"People still have to take a number, queue up and pay their bills at the counter."

Once everything is in place, only then will competition follow, he added.

"Once your house is in order, only then can you go out and compete.

"Brunei are mostly users, maybe once everything is developed and in order and more local companies come up with IT programs or services only then will the rankings be important."

The iCentre director recommended that one of the ways Brunei can improve its rankings in the WEF Global ICT Report is for the private sector and the government to work together and leverage the use of local products in the government departments, as opposed to patronising foreign solutions.

This would be a win-win situation for both Brunei and the private sector because it would help to increase the country's rankings in the report and move more home-grown IT products, he added.

Some of Brunei's strengths according to the WEF is the government's prioritisation of ICT, the time required to start a business, the availability of new phone lines and number of procedures required to start a business.

Some of the weaknesses listed by the WEF included weak buyer sophistication, low hi-tech exports, unsecure Internet servers and the low quality of the educational system.

The Brunei Times