IBM is eyeing Brunei's "transformation
journey" in information technology (IT) and wants to continue working with
the private sector, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as it
embarks on a new initiative to branch out in the region and beyond.
Tang
Choeng Weng, IBM's country manager for Malaysia, Brunei and Cambodia, said the
global technology corporation is "very encouraged" by Brunei's
national IT strategy plan and wants to play a more significant role in helping
the country achieve its vision.
"We
are very encouraged by what is happening in Brunei right now. Especially
(since) you can see that Brunei has got a clear IT strategy plan. That plan has
got very clear steps on how to get there. And you can see the evidence of
success in Brunei's world e-government ranking," Tang said.
Brunei
ranked 54th out of 193 countries in the latest UN survey on e-government
progress around the world. It was 68th in a similar survey conducted two years
ago.
"So,
you can see the progressive thought in the Brunei leadership. You can see the
government organisations are very much in sync with this and it's very, very
encouraging for us and we feel that IBM certainly has something that we can
work or collaborate with both the government as well as private sector."
Speaking
at an IBM forum in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, he told The Brunei Times that IBM
wanted to "play a more significant part" in Brunei's progress.
"Brunei
is a developed country and it is in a unique position, where it has got both
the vision and the desire to be among the top 20, in terms of e-government
readiness, and it has the resources (to do so)," he said.
The
size of Brunei's population was also seen as an additional value.
"Plus
the fact that the community is not big, so whatever action that can be done,
can be done very quickly and in (an) agile manner. So all the positive points
are there: pointing to success," he said.
"We're
just hoping that we also have the opportunity to be working there to contribute
to the success as well."
For the
past two decades, IBM has been flying in support and system engineering staff
from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to cater to existing clients in Brunei.
"But
that's nothing like having someone there, where the response would be much
faster."
"Then
a few years back, we started a small team there for sales. That is in response
to our clients requesting for more interaction with IBM."
When
asked if there were any market limitations, the IBM official said that the
domestic market is not what it looks like on the surface.
"Yes.
The first impression is Brunei is a limited market, but what it doesn't have in
size, it makes up for in terms of the vastness of the vision, the bold steps
that they're planning, and that for me is a lot more important," Tang said.
"You
could have a huge country but if it is not moving for us, I think it is better
where you have a clear target you want to move into citizen-centric services,
you want to move into creating additional economic activity for the nation. I
think all this is pointing into the right direction. So that for me, is a lot
more important."
"I
think the government is the key catalyst of Brunei's transformation journey.
"So
that will also be an area we are working with the government in.
"I
think those are the two areas where you see the biggest changes that will be
beneficial to the country as well."
The
country manager assured, however, that IBM's interactions with the private
sector will continue.
"Then,
while we are doing that, we will still continue with our commercial customers;
their on-going business requirements, transformations," he said.
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