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Hong Kong’s and Singapore’s data protection authorities today furthered their warm relations by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen cooperation in personal data protection in the two jurisdictions.
The MOU was signed by Mr Stephen Kai-yi Wong, Hong Kong’s Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data and Mr Yeong Zee Kin, Deputy Commissioner of Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) in Tokyo at the side-lines of the 51st Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities (APPA) Forum.
Partnership promotes collaborative initiatives and information exchange in personal data protection
Under the MOU, the Hong Kong SAR’s Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) and Singapore’s PDPC1 will engage in the cross-sharing of experiences, exchange of best practices, joint research projects and information exchange involving potential or ongoing data breach investigations.
Mr Stephen Kai-yi Wong, Privacy Commissioner of the PCPD said, “The MOU marks the joint efforts of Hong Kong and Singapore in strengthening the cooperation between the two jurisdictions and provides a solid framework for promoting collaborative initiatives and information exchange in personal data protection. It also clearly demonstrates the PCPD’s strong commitment to stepping up cross-jurisdictional collaboration in exchange of expertise and information so as to better prepare Hong Kong to enter into the new ‘post-digital’ era.”
Mr Tan Kiat How, Commissioner of the PDPC said, “A strong collaborative effort with our counterparts in Hong Kong and other jurisdictions is needed to advance personal data protection and prepare for a Digital Economy. We look forward to strengthening our working relations to enable all parties to collectively benefit from best practices, research and the sharing of information.”
Hong Kong and Singapore continue to enjoy good working relations in global personal data protection, with both regulatory authorities being active members of international organisations such as APPA and the Global Privacy Enforcement Network. The MOU was the outcome of an initial discussion between the two authorities in September 2018, to explore opportunities to strengthen the partnership and develop bilateral platforms for the advancement of personal data protection.
Hong Kong and Singapore jointly develop guide to Data Protection
As part of the enhanced cooperation, Hong Kong and Singapore are also releasing a jointly developed Guide to Data Protection by Design (DPbD) for ICT Systems. This encourages organisations to pro-actively incorporate data protection considerations when developing ICT systems from the onset. The Guide assists organisations in applying DPbD principles through practical guidance for all phases of software development and good data protection practices for ICT systems.


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The Land Transport Industry Transformation Map (ITM) 2025 was unveiled by Minister of Transport S Iswaran. Developed by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in close collaboration with industry and union partners, the updated Land Transport ITM aims to create a sustainable and resilient land transport sector, a workforce that is future-ready, and a thriving ecosystem.
The Land Transport ITM 2025 will assist the industry in overcoming the immediate challenges of labour shortages and decarbonisation. It aims to accomplish three strategic outcomes, including A Future-Ready Workforce, A Sustainable and Resilient Land Transport Sector, and A Reliable and Cost-Effective Transport System through Innovation and Technology.
“Talent development and skills upgrading for workers remain key to the land transport sector’s transformation and resilience,” says Chee Hong Tat, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Transport and Co-Chair of the Future Economy Council (FEC) Connectivity Cluster. The LTA is collaborating with public transportation operators and unions to prepare workers for new challenges, ensuring that the workforce remains productive and future-ready.
The land transport industry, a critical pillar in enabling connectivity that supports the economy, can only do so thanks to the efforts of its employees. With over 100,000 employees, the workers perform a variety of roles such as bus captains, bus mechanics, customer service officers, railway engineers, station managers, and point-to-point (P2P) drivers.
The nature of work will also change as technology and digitalisation advance. As a result, under the revised ITM, the LTA will collaborate with the National Transport Workers Union (NTWU) and public transportation operators to train rail workers to use new and emerging technologies such as data and statistical analytics, as well as condition monitoring, to increase efficiency and productivity.
Since 2020, the Rail Manpower Development Incentive has helped over 2,900 workers improve their skills. Faults, for example, can be detected and physical checks reduced using video monitoring and image analysis.
Additionally, they are gradually enhancing the skills of their bus captains and technicians to operate electric buses. To create appropriate training programmes on cleaner energy buses for the bus workforce, the Singapore Bus Academy (SGBA) has been collaborating with pertinent stakeholders, including bus suppliers, Institutes of Higher Learning, NTWU, and bus operators.
To prepare the workforce to support Singapore’s push for vehicle electrification, LTA will also keep up its close collaboration with partners in the private transportation sector, such as tertiary institutions. Also, LTA will keep urging commuters to use public transportation or active transportation options under Walk Cycle Ride. By enhancing the infrastructure for EV charging and fortifying the EV regulatory framework, LTA is also encouraging greater adoption of EVs.
To increase the effectiveness of the land transportation system, industry and academic partners will use an open innovation strategy to draw on outside ideas. This includes decentralising data and working with others to develop creative solutions that will improve operational procedures and promote environmental sustainability.
To simplify outreach to industry partners, the LTA introduced the Land Transport Innovation Portal in September 2022 as a one-stop shop for all innovation-related issues. To assist partners in better understanding LTA’s requirements and identifying opportunities for co-innovation and collaboration, the portal disseminates operational problem statements from LTA as well as details on upcoming innovation events.
Additionally, it points potential innovators to the LTA DataMall’s data resources, which include over 130 static and dynamic datasets as well as a newly expanded catalogue of “On-Request Datasets” in an effort to spur more original ideas that can meet the needs of the land transportation industry.
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President Jokowi stressed the need for constant innovation for ministries, agencies and regional governments to speed up services. Rising public expectations will be challenging to achieve without creative problem-solving.
Abdullah Azwar Anas, Minister of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform (PANRB) said that new ideas are essential to enhancing the standard of government services. However, Anas emphasised that creating a new application for every breakthrough is unnecessary. Since there are presently over 27,000 applications for various public services from several government organisations, they have already been developed.
“It’s encouraging to see the government adopting new approaches to delivering services to make life easier for its constituents. But a new app development effort is not mandatory. No longer is there a ‘one invention, one use’,” he said when inaugurating the 2023 Public Service Innovation Competition (KIPP) Launch.
According to Anas, innovation should simplify people’s lives, not make them more difficult. Minister Anas has stated that integration and interoperability are essential in the future. Both are following the plans of the SPBE Electronic-Based Government System, as directed by President Joko Widodo. Single sign-on at digital public service malls (MPP) is a step towards simplifying all kinds of processes.
“In other words, gone are the days when locals seeking service A first downloaded app A, then manually created account A by entering extensive personal information. Accessing Service B requires using Application B; if you don’t already have a Service B account, you must make one and enter your information again. As well as the others. The populace is in disarray with thousands of service applications today,” he noted.
Furthermore, the government has carried out a digital transformation of public services using artificial intelligence to give convenient services to the community (AI). Diah Natalisa, Deputy for Public Services at the Ministry of Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform (PANRB), has emphasised the importance of digital services and how they improve the efficiency and accessibility of government programmes.
Diah explained that the Indonesian National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2020-2045 has already been formed. It identifies five priority sectors with promising prospects for AI’s advancement, application, and exploitation. Artificial intelligence innovations are first used in the healthcare industry to improve response times, increase patient numbers served, and lower overall healthcare costs.
Patients can allegedly access medical care via telemedicine without physically going to a clinic or doctor’s office. In addition, there are various ways to employ AI in the realm of bureaucratic reform, such as creating ChatBots that can provide 24-hour, two-way dialogue with the general public.
Meanwhile, Diah argued that the potential for the future growth of artificial intelligence would lead to precision learning in education. Learners’ routine actions are considered with their mental and emotional faculties and physical abilities.
Then, artificial intelligence can be applied to satellite photos in food security to determine which locations have access to electricity and which do not. It’s been theorised that this hypothetical can also be used to catalogue the crops cultivated in a particular region and forecast the yield of each crop.
AI will also help the future of transportation and intelligent urban planning. Diah presented the example of using AI for smart traffic management solutions to guarantee locals’ safe and efficient movement from one place to another.
The Ministry of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform is developing the Public Service Portal. The portal system’s AI will be optimised to predict and fulfil each user’s needs based on their unique traits.
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The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in the Philippines and the University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao aim to educate the public about the benefits and applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in a variety of fields.
The country has recognised that AI is one of the technologies that is starting to change the way businesses and organisations work. Because AI has so many uses, it is starting to be utilised in many different areas, and its full potential is being realised and used in many markets. Hence, businesses and organisations in the Philippines are starting to pay attention to the benefits of this.
During the recent “1st AI Pinas Research and Development (R&D) Conference and Workshop 2023,” over one hundred participants, including local and international speakers, discussed the benefits of machine learning, natural language processing, robotics, computer vision, and deep learning applied to health, education, mobility, the environment, disaster risk reduction (DRR), industries, and smart and sustainable cities and communities.
Renato Solidum Jr, DOST Secretary acknowledged that AI has the potential to increase human productivity by automating routine tasks, analysing massive amounts of data, learning new information, and making well-informed decisions.
He added that they focused on the four investment pillars, and as a result, DOST has pledged financial support for the Philippines’ rapid scientific development in this area so that the nation can fully benefit from AI technologies.
Secretary Renato confirmed that the DOST has been collaborating with multiple stakeholders to make the AI R&D framework for 2019–2029 beneficial for its intended beneficiaries. The framework focuses on building a national infrastructure, which includes:
- AI R&D centres;
- Empowering more professionals through DOST-PCIEERD training and development; and
- Encouraging more mission-driven programmes with unique applications.
He has emphasised that the Philippines are also enhancing its workforce’s capabilities. In collaboration with the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), the Analytics Association of the Philippines (AAP), and an open online course provider, three (3) AI Pinas training have produced 143 graduates.
Through the Smarter Philippines and R&D, Training, and Adoption (SPARTA) project, he hopes to upskill and launch the data science careers of the nation’s workforce as they aim to have 50,000 Filipino data scientists by 2029 to meet the needs and demands of the industry as they undergo digital transformation.
Dr Lyre Anni Murao, Chancellor of UP Mindanao, on the other hand, urged the use of AI to help with daily tasks, stating that AI should be given more credit for improving the quality of life and strengthening the capacity to contribute to global development.
On the other hand, Dr Enrico C. Paringit, Executive Director of the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD), stated that the “AI for Better Normal” investments, made possible in June 2021, have put them at the forefront of using AI to advance innovation in the country, as they have supported impactful AI projects across the country.
DOST-PCIEERD, as a leader and partner in enabling innovations in the Philippines, ensures that it strengthens local capabilities in the region. Initiatives like this strengthen ties with more developed countries and foster new collaborations that can spur future socioeconomic growth.
The event themed “Artificial Intelligence Driving Transformation and Impact in the Digital Age,” provided a forum for experts, researchers, professionals, enthusiasts, and prospective beneficiaries to update the R&D roadmap and develop a national AI R&D programme.
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A developer of robotic applications and systems based in Hong Kong has announced the release of ARCS, a Robotic Control System developed in-house and powered by cloud technology from a multinational technology corporation based in the United States.
The company is a member of Hong Kong Science and Technology Park Corporation’s Leading Enterprises Acceleration Programme (LEAP) and has received full support from HKSTP. This has enabled them to establish their office and a state-of-the-art automated warehouse, called the RobEX Centre, within the campus.
In recent years, work automation has become increasingly popular. The widespread use of robots in our daily lives has made it possible to free up human labour through highly efficient execution abilities. However, there has been a lack of agnostic platforms to coordinate and control robots of different brands, functions, and systems, which has prevented our robots from creating synergy in the most efficient way possible.
Furthermore, there is an urgent need for society to proactively explore alternative approaches to maximising the potential of robots, especially with intensifying community issues such as an ageing population and declining birth rates, which further widen the local workforce gap. This could greatly elevate our quality of life, particularly for those with lower self-care ability, such as the elderly and the sick.
Moreover, with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) subjects becoming more prominent, organisations are increasing their investments in sustainability and environmental research to find solutions that can boost energy efficiency through robotic technologies.
The HKSTP company is dedicated to developing a range of robotic solutions that address specific challenges, with the ultimate aim of integrating these technologies into daily life and supporting various sectors such as healthcare, smart city, logistics, and education.
With a vision to transform Hong Kong into a smart city, the company developed ARCS. Today, ARCS has been implemented in the fields of rehabilitation and healthcare, offering more autonomous and sophisticated care services, while also alleviating the workload of healthcare professionals through the assistance of smart technologies.
ARCS offers more than just improved efficiency and cost savings for enterprises and organisations. Its distinctive feature of centralised management streamlines the process of data management and analysis, resolving the isolation deadlock of different types of robots.
In the near future, ARCS will integrate artificial intelligence to cater to different scenarios, create the most suitable application plans, and provide tailor-made suggestions derived from the analysis of environmental data collected by robots. This will take the sustainability performance of corporations and organisations to the next level.
During the press conference, the company demonstrated a series of collaborative tasks performed by robots managed by ARCS in three simulated scenes. The first scenario applies to the retail and catering industry: when a store receives an online order, ARCS immediately obtains data from elevators and turnstiles through the Internet of Things (IoT) and delivers the product to the customer using a managed robot.
The second scene is suitable for public places with heavier traffic, such as malls and hospitals. When a patrol robot detects a mass gathering, ARCS can coordinate and send the concierge robot with its camera open for a live stream. This helps users to have a better understanding of the incident with minimised reaction time, while simultaneously instructing the patrol robot to resume its original task.
The third scene is designed for people with disabilities in various public venues. ARCS remotely controls the wheelchair robot, allowing one or a group of robots to safely carry those in need to their destinations.
Additionally, the company showcased the use of ARCS to analyse centralised data, illustrating the system’s capability to streamline the data collection and analysis process, as well as its great potential to incorporate the use of business intelligence.
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Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has launched a new initiative to boost its innovation capabilities and accelerate research commercialisation to support Singapore’s drive toward an economy based on innovation and knowledge.
The University will ramp up its educational programmes to nurture entrepreneurs and create a more conducive environment for mentoring and supporting students, faculty, and alumni looking to turn their ideas into market-ready products through its NTU Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NTU I&E) initiative.
“Our vision is to create a vibrant innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem covering the entire spectrum of activity, from cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset through holistic education and experiential learning to starting a business,” says Professor Louis Phee, Vice President for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Dean of the College of Engineering.
Prof Louis, who leads the NTU I&E initiative, stated that they aspire to be a fertile breeding ground where innovative ideas, supported by a solid foundation in education and research, blossom into successful commercial entities that ultimately benefit Singapore’s economy. With digitalisation and sustainability at the forefront of new industries, NTU believes that the skills and knowledge students require to be successful are also evolving rapidly.
The North and South Spines of the University’s main campus will house the new NTU Innovation Port, a physical and digital one-stop shop for all things innovation-related. The centre will provide a forum for the NTU community and external partners to discuss start-up and innovation concepts, as well as assist industry partners seeking to collaborate or license technologies.
NTU I&E consists of both the revamped NTU Entrepreneurship Academy (NTUpreneur) and the University’s existing innovation and enterprise company NTUitive, which focuses on commercialising innovations and incubating start-ups.
The I&E initiative is part of the NTU 2025 Strategic Plan, an ambitious road map announced in 2021 that guides NTU toward becoming a global university founded on science and technology and that cultivates leaders capable of making a positive societal impact through interdisciplinary education and research.
The Overseas Entrepreneurship Programme is one of NTU’s most successful entrepreneurship plans. More than 320 students participated in the programme, travelling to the United States, Europe, China, Southeast Asia, and Australia to work with start-ups and accelerators. After graduating, 45 of these students have been inspired to start their own businesses or join a start-up.
The NTU I&E initiative aims to build on these achievements. Students from all disciplines will benefit from improved and easier access to mentorship, entrepreneurship modules and courses, and more internships through NTUpreneur.
Students will participate in experiential learning programmes such as innovation challenges, training boot camps, and workshops as part of their journey of exploration and discovery. In addition, the Overseas Entrepreneurship Programme will be expanded to include more countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Sweden, and Finland. The number of available placements will also be increased.
Recently, over 40 NTU innovations and start-ups were showcased at the exhibition area of the I&E launch event to inspire students and faculty. Deep tech software powered by blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) to robotics, food technology, and health and biomedical devices were among them.
NTU’s I&E efforts align with Singapore’s Research, Innovation, and Enterprise 2025 Plan and will contribute to the city-upcoming state’s Jurong Innovation District. Many of NTU’s start-ups and spin-offs are currently housed at the NTU Innovation Centre on the NTU Smart Campus and the nearby CleanTech Park, putting them at the epicentre of Singapore’s Industry 4.0 transformation.
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The HKSAR government has established the Committee on Innovation, Technology and Industry Development (CITID). The Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint (the Blueprint) was promulgated by the government and with the establishment of the Committee on Innovation, Technology and Industry Development (CITID), cooperation among stakeholders will be improved, and the growth of innovation and technology (I&T) in Hong Kong will be facilitated. The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry will serve as the Chair of the CITID.
The Committee on Innovation, Technology and Industry Development (CITID) has been established by the government to advise on the strategic development of innovation and technology (I&T) in Hong Kong. The CITID will focus on the following key areas:
- Determining Focus Areas, Priorities, and Key Performance Indicators: The CITID will work towards facilitating the development of the I&T industry in Hong Kong, with a specific focus on areas highlighted in the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint. To achieve this, the committee will establish priorities and key performance indicators to guide its efforts.
- Promoting Research and Development: To encourage research and development in Hong Kong, the CITID will formulate strategies and measures that promote the commercialisation of research outcomes.
- Nurturing and Attracting I&T Talent: The CITID will also develop strategies and measures to nurture, attract and retain I&T talent. This will help ensure that Hong Kong has the necessary expertise and human resources to support the growth of the I&T industry.
- Developing Key I&T Infrastructure: To support the development of the I&T industry, the CITID will also prioritise the development of key I&T infrastructure. This may include initiatives related to technology parks, data centres, and other relevant infrastructure.
- Promoting New Industrialisation: Finally, the CITID will also provide recommendations on strategies and measures to promote new industrialisation in Hong Kong. This may include initiatives to develop new industries or to enhance the competitiveness of existing ones.
The CITID is composed primarily of experts and representatives from academia, industry, information technology, and other relevant sectors, as well as government officials. These members are appointed by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry and serve a two-year term.
OpenGov Asia reported on the release on the release of the Hong Kong Innovation & Technology (I&T) Development Blueprint which aims to establish a clear development path and formulate systematic strategic planning for I&T development over the next five to 10 years.
The Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry provided information regarding the blueprint and emphasised that it represents a comprehensive and systematic plan for the development of innovation and technology in Hong Kong, created by the government after years of effort.
The government will implement the blueprint through four primary development directions, which are:
- Enhancing the I&T Ecosystem and Promoting New Industrialisation: The government aims to create a conducive environment for innovation and technology, thereby promoting new industrialisation in Hong Kong.
- Enlarging the I&T Talent Pool: The government aims to expand the talent pool of innovation and technology, creating a strong foundation for sustainable growth.
- Promoting Digital Economy Development and Developing Hong Kong into a Smart City: The government aims to develop Hong Kong’s digital economy and transform the city into a smart city that can proactively integrate into the overall development of the country.
- Consolidating Hong Kong’s Role as a Bridge Connecting the Mainland and the World: Finally, the government aims to strengthen Hong Kong’s position as a bridge between the Mainland and the rest of the world, facilitating collaboration and cooperation in innovation and technology.
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Deputy Minister of Trade Jerry Sambuaga acknowledges that Micro, Small and Medium enterprises (MSMEs) digitalisation is an essential part of promoting Indonesia’s digital economy. The number of digitised MSMEs reached 20,997,131, an increase of 17% from the previous year. Data from 2022 shows that the total value of e-commerce transactions in Indonesia amounted to IDR 476.3 trillion, up 18.7% from the last year on a volume of 3.48 million.
He argued that strong cooperation between the federal government, regional governments, and the private sector was necessary to digitise MSMEs successfully. The commercial electronic industry from digitised MSME successfully pushed for a clear path forward.
It was reported that in 2022, the value of online sales grew by 26% from 2021, and the number of new online traders using digital platforms grew by 6% thanks to events like National Online Shopping Day (Harbolnas). The value of transactions involving locally produced goods was IDR 10 trillion, an increase of IDR 1.5 trillion, or 18%, over Harbolnas 2021, when the value of locally produced goods sold was IDR 8.5 trillion.
“Cashless payments are one of the concrete proofs of the implementation of digitalisation in the commerce sector in the market undertaken by the Ministry of Trade,” said Jerry in an Education Digitalisation of Markets, Stalls, and MSMEs discussion in Malang City, East Java.
Therefore, the Ministry of Trade supports collaboration in developing an e-commerce ecosystem. Given the enormous development potential of the digital economy, the ministry has prepared four pillars with various stakeholders.
The first pillar is that MSMEs are adaptable, creative, and motivated to grow. To increase the value of goods and supply chain efficiency and distribution to consumers, marketplaces (marketplaces) work in synergy with MSMEs through a series of capacity building, prioritising goods aggregation activities like repackaging, management assistance, and other similar endeavours.
The third pillar, contemporary retail’s function, connects MSMEs with potential business partners. In today’s modern retail environment, MSMEs can get the local products they need. Financial institutions provide the People’s Business Credit (KUR) plan as part of the fourth pillar.
To foster an environment conducive to the development of new MSMEs, the Ministry of Trade will continue to boost the contribution of trade through the electronic system by providing regulatory assistance and guidance for business.
“Collaboration, teamwork, and digital adaption are essential to overcome the current difficulties in international trade. We believe that by working together, we can advance the digital ecosystem in Indonesia, which will benefit the economy and people at all levels of society,” Jerry says.
Jerry confirmed that they are expanding the potential for creative and digital products. For example, at the Malang Creative Center, the government has a programme to aid in developing novel products. This year, the industry emphasises developing handcrafted goods like clothing, movies, comics, and games and services for consumers to use in stores.
He explained that these items were chosen because they met a need in the market for handmade items inspired by popular culture among today’s youth (specifically, animation, comics, and gaming, abbreviated “ACG”).
Intellectual property (IP) in the form of character or product patents is an export category in the ACG industry. As an illustration, consider the prevalence of product marketing featuring Marvel or Disney characters. Intellectual property is vital to expanding the ACG industry’s export capabilities and ensuring the sector’s long-term financial viability. That’s because the impact of IP on other industries will be multiplied.