AGP Executive Report

Brunei Energy Tech: SLB has won a contract from Brunei Shell Petroleum to restore production from shut-in wells across multiple offshore fields, covering subsurface work, well selection, engineering, offshore execution, plus monitoring and marine logistics under an integrated model. Climate Materials in Brunei: Neocrete, backed by Temasek Trust’s C3H, raised US$3.5m to scale its concrete additives that cut cement use and lower both carbon and cost; the tech has already been deployed at scale in Brunei’s Muara Port redevelopment. South China Sea Tech & Security: China has completed the first phase of construction on Antelope Reef, with satellite images showing a reclaimed island outline and early facilities, as analysts link it to broader militarisation. Digital Economy Policy: A new look at Southeast Asia’s digital growth warns that regulations, data rules and infrastructure differences are fragmenting cross-border scaling for businesses. Local Agri-Food Spotlight: Brunei’s Agriculture and Agri-Food Department held an open day featuring 20 vendors showcasing products and innovative technologies to boost productivity and the agri-food value chain.

Brunei Energy Tech: SLB has won a contract from Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP) to reactivate shut-in wells across multiple offshore fields, covering subsurface evaluation, well selection, engineering, offshore execution, and integrated project management plus monitoring and marine logistics—aimed at restoring production from mature assets. Climate & Materials: Neocrete, a New Zealand concrete decarbonisation firm backed by Wavemaker Ventures and Temasek Trust’s C3H, raised US$3.5m to scale additives that let concrete replace 30–50% of cement using lower-carbon materials; the company points to commercial deployment in Brunei’s Muara Port redevelopment. Digital Economy: A new look at Southeast Asia’s digital growth warns the region is getting “connected without integrated,” as differing data rules and digital infrastructure fragment cross-border operations for businesses. South China Sea Tech & Security: China researchers say contested islands could be defended using networks of autonomous aerial, surface, and underwater drones coordinated by AI, shifting away from manpower-heavy island defence. Regional Geopolitics via Infrastructure: Reuters reports China has completed the first phase of construction on Antelope Reef, a man-made island in the Paracels, with satellite imagery showing reclaimed land and early building works. Local Agriculture Spotlight: Brunei’s Agriculture and Agri-Food Department held an open day featuring 20 local vendors showcasing products and innovative technologies to strengthen the agri-food value chain.

Offshore Energy Tech for Brunei: SLB has won a contract from Brunei Shell Petroleum to reactivate shut-in wells across multiple offshore fields, covering subsurface evaluation, well selection, engineering, intervention work, monitoring, metering and marine logistics—an integrated production restoration model aimed at boosting recovery from mature assets. Climate Materials in Brunei-to-Global: Neocrete, a New Zealand concrete decarbonisation firm, raised US$3.5m with Temasek Trust’s C3H among investors, to expand from Southeast Asia into Europe and the US; its additives help cut cement use by 30–50% and are already being tested/used in Brunei, including work tied to Muara Port redevelopment. Local Agri-Food Spotlight: Brunei’s Agriculture and Agri-Food Department held an open day near the capital to showcase services and initiatives, with 20 local vendors highlighting products, innovative technologies and services to strengthen the agriculture and agri-food value chain. Food Safety Watch (Regional): Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety flagged excessive aflatoxin in a bottled pistachio paste (Naturalam “100% Pure Pistachio Butter”) and ordered retailers to stop sales and recall the affected batch. STEM & Society (Philippines): A proposed “West Philippine Sea Education Act” would embed Manila’s South China Sea claims into school curricula, using international law references to build public support.

Offshore Energy Tech for Brunei: SLB has won a contract from Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP) to reactivate shut-in wells across multiple offshore fields, covering subsurface evaluation, well selection, engineering, offshore execution, plus integrated project management, intervention, monitoring, metering and marine logistics—an “integrated production restoration” push aimed at boosting recovery from mature assets. Climate Materials in Brunei to Global Markets: Neocrete raised US$3.5m to expand its concrete decarbonisation additives, with Temasek Trust’s C3H joining the round; the firm says its tech is already being tested and used in Brunei by Readymix Brunei, including work tied to Muara Port redevelopment. Regional Tech & Security Watch: Reuters reports China has completed the first phase of construction on Antelope Reef in the South China Sea, with satellite imagery showing a man-made island taking shape—analysts link it to future military capability near Taiwan. AI-Ready TVET in Brunei: Brunei’s IBTE hosted an international webinar on using AI literacy to build future-ready technical and vocational education and training (TVET) skills. Travel Tech & STEM-Adjacent Events: WTM London 2026 signals strong early exhibitor demand, including Brunei among new destination exhibitors, as the show highlights travel technology and innovation.

Brunei Tech & Skills: IBTE hosted an international webinar on empowering TVET through AI literacy and future-ready skills, bringing together local and overseas educators, industry and policymakers. Energy & Industry (Brunei): SLB won a contract from Brunei Shell Petroleum to support production restoration across mature offshore fields, including subsurface evaluation, well selection, intervention, monitoring and marine logistics. AI in Brunei: Brunei also hosted an international AI webinar, reflecting growing focus on practical AI literacy for education and training. Food Safety (Regional): Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety found excessive aflatoxin in a bottled pistachio paste batch and urged the public not to consume it. Research & Nature: A study highlights Borneo’s “exploding ants,” describing how self-sacrificial defence helps researchers study extreme survival strategies. Regional Tech/Trade: CityUHK strengthened research and education ties with Sunway University, while WTM London reported strong early exhibitor demand for 2026, including Brunei among new exhibitors.

Energy & Industry (Brunei): SLB has been contracted by Brunei Shell Petroleum to support production restoration from shut-in wells across mature offshore fields, covering subsurface evaluation, well selection, intervention, monitoring and marine logistics in one coordinated execution model. Regional Tech & Education (Brunei): Brunei’s IBTE hosted an international webinar on using AI literacy to make TVET more future-ready, bringing together local and overseas educators, industry and policymakers. Construction Tech (Brunei): Brunei’s Ministry of Development says national housing projects are adopting Industrialized Building System (IBS) and modern construction technologies to improve quality, shorten build times, cut material waste and reduce carbon emissions. Geopolitics & Training (China/Region): PLA Navy Task Force 83 returned to Dalian after a 64-day far-sea training and visit mission that included stops in Russia, Vietnam, Brunei and Indonesia. Food Security Tech (China/ASEAN): A report highlights China’s push for food self-sufficiency via biotechnology, improved genetics, precision agriculture and digital farming—an approach likely to reshape ASEAN food trade. Mobility Tech (Hong Kong): Hong Kong approved a pilot autonomous-vehicle trial linking West Kowloon Station and Kowloon Station, using four cars with a backup operator onboard.

Brunei TVET & AI: Brunei’s IBTE hosted an international webinar on using AI literacy to build future-ready skills for technical and vocational education and training. Autonomous transport in Hong Kong: Hong Kong’s Transport Department approved a pilot licence for autonomous vehicle trials linking West Kowloon Station and Kowloon Station for an “Air-Rail Intermodal Service,” using four private cars with a backup operator onboard. Brunei housing tech: Brunei’s Ministry of Development says national housing projects are adopting Industrialized Building System (IBS) and modern construction tech to improve quality, cut waste, shorten build times, and reduce carbon emissions. Regional research ties: CityUHK strengthened collaboration plans with Sunway University in Malaysia to advance education, research and innovation. Food safety alert (Hong Kong): The Centre for Food Safety found excessive aflatoxin in a bottled pistachio paste product and urged the public not to consume the affected batch. Energy & engineering (Brunei-linked): Petronas Carigali and MISC advanced Brunei’s Kelidang offshore gas project with key FPU subcontract awards, including topsides work and tanker-to-hull conversion. Solar for aquaculture (Malaysia): Founder Group’s unit secured a rooftop solar EPCC contract for a Kedah shrimp farm, supporting distributed clean power for agriculture. Weather modelling (Korea): Korea’s KMA expanded severe weather forecasting data sharing across Brunei and other island nations to support earlier warnings. Tech policy watch (Philippines): A look at how patent prosecution works in the AI age in the Philippines, including common pitfalls and options to speed up examination. Travel tech & trials (Hong Kong): Another autonomous vehicle trial update highlights how the city is testing AV safety in high-traffic transport hubs.

Brunei & TVET/AI: Brunei’s IBTE hosted an international webinar on “Empowering TVET through AI Literacy and Future-Ready Skills,” bringing together local and overseas TVET experts and industry to discuss how AI is reshaping training and skills. Brunei & Construction Tech: Brunei’s housing projects are adopting the Industrialized Building System (IBS) and modern construction technologies to improve quality, cut build times, reduce material waste, and support lower carbon emissions. Brunei & Transport Tech: Brunei’s Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications is studying how to keep public transport continuous and quality-driven, weighing main-route bus services versus phased Demand Responsive Transit using more technology. Regional Research/Education: CityUHK explored new research and innovation collaboration with Sunway University in Malaysia, aiming to deepen international education and innovation links. Food Safety: Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety found excessive aflatoxin in a bottled pistachio paste (Naturalam), urging the public not to consume the affected batch and prompting a recall. Offshore Energy (Brunei-linked): Petronas Carigali and MISC advanced Brunei’s Kelidang project with key FPU subcontract awards for topsides modules and hull conversion. Autonomous Mobility (HK): Hong Kong approved a pilot autonomous vehicle trial between West Kowloon and Kowloon Station for an air-rail intermodal service.

Brunei TVET & AI: Brunei’s IBTE held an international webinar on using AI literacy to make technical and vocational education more future-ready, bringing together local and overseas TVET experts. Brunei Housing Tech: Brunei’s Ministry of Development says national housing projects are adopting the Industrialized Building System (IBS) and modern construction methods to cut waste, shorten build times, and lower carbon emissions. Brunei Transport Planning: Brunei’s transport ministry is studying two models for public transport continuity—main-route bus services and phased Demand Responsive Transit (DRT) by zones—plus more tech and better supporting infrastructure. Regional Weather Tech: Korea’s Meteorological Administration expanded its severe weather forecasting data service to cover 117 cities across Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste, supporting real-time severe weather monitoring and early warnings. Autonomous Mobility (HK): Hong Kong approved a pilot autonomous vehicle trial linking West Kowloon Station and Kowloon Station for an air-rail intermodal service, with backup operators onboard. Food Safety (HK): Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety found excessive aflatoxin in a bottled pistachio paste and urged consumers not to eat the affected batch. Energy & Industry (India-Russia): India’s Russian crude imports hit record levels in July, reaching about 2.8 million barrels per day and €5.5 billion, as discounted supplies remain a key energy hedge. Renewables (Malaysia): Founder Group’s subsidiary signed EPCC contracts for rooftop solar for shrimp farms in Kedah and Terengganu, pushing distributed clean power into aquaculture. Haze Watch (SEA): Indonesia’s wildfires are driving unhealthy air across parts of Malaysia and Singapore, with cloud seeding paused due to lack of rain-bearing clouds.

Energy & Trade: India’s Russian crude imports hit a record in July, reaching about 2.8 million barrels per day and roughly €5.5 billion, with Russian crude making up around 55.5% of India’s total crude imports as refiners chase discounted supply despite tighter sanctions. Brunei Tech & Education: Brunei hosted an international AI-focused TVET webinar on using AI literacy to build future-ready skills, while the education ministry also outlined curriculum and learning changes to keep higher education and TVET aligned with automation and AI-driven job needs. Public Transport Tech: Brunei is exploring ways to keep public transport reliable, including bus routes and phased Demand Responsive Transit zones, with more technology to improve access and service quality. Construction Innovation (Brunei): Brunei’s housing projects are adopting Industrialized Building System methods to improve quality, cut build times, reduce waste, and support lower carbon construction. Food Safety: Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety found excessive aflatoxin in a bottled pistachio paste batch and urged the public not to consume it. Weather & Disaster Readiness: South Korea’s meteorology agency expanded a severe weather forecasting data service to share real-time model outputs for Brunei and other island nations, aiming to strengthen early warnings.

Brunei Education & AI: Brunei’s IBTE hosted an international TVET webinar on “AI Literacy and Future-Ready Skills,” bringing together local and overseas experts to discuss how AI is reshaping training and skills for the future. Brunei Transport Tech: Brunei’s Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications is studying ways to keep public transport continuous and tech-enabled, including bus main-route services and phased Demand Responsive Transit across zones. Brunei Housing Innovation: Brunei’s national housing projects are adopting Industrialized Building System (IBS) and modern construction technologies to improve quality, cut build time, reduce material waste, and lower carbon emissions. Food Safety Watch: Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety found excessive aflatoxin in a bottled pistachio paste (Naturalam “100% Pure Pistachio Butter”), urging the public not to consume the affected batch and prompting a recall. Autonomous Mobility Trial: Hong Kong approved a pilot autonomous vehicle trial for four private cars between West Kowloon Station and Kowloon Station, with a backup operator ready to take over. Severe Weather Data Sharing: South Korea’s KMA expanded global severe weather forecasting data to 117 cities across five island countries, supporting earlier warnings and disaster response. Science Spotlight: Researchers highlighted Borneo’s “exploding ants,” a self-sacrificing species described in 2018, as a key model for studying extreme defensive behaviour. Regional Tech & Energy: Skyro plans to expand from South-East Asia into Saudi Arabia and appointed a former Mastercard executive to lead Middle East growth.

Brunei TVET & AI: Brunei’s education ministry says automation and AI are reshaping skills needs, and it’s updating higher education and TVET with new tech-focused curriculum, more project-based learning, and data-driven checks on graduate outcomes. Brunei Public Transport Tech: The transport ministry is studying how to keep public transport reliable and accessible, weighing main-route bus services versus phased Demand Responsive Transit zones, plus more tech and supporting infrastructure. Brunei Housing Modernisation: Brunei’s housing projects are adopting the Industrialized Building System to improve quality, cut build time and material waste, and support lower carbon emissions. Brunei AI Webinar: IBTE hosted an international webinar on using AI literacy to make TVET more future-ready, bringing together local and overseas experts. Food Safety (Hong Kong): Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety found excessive aflatoxin in a bottled pistachio paste and urged the public not to consume the affected batch. Autonomous Vehicles (Hong Kong): Transport Department approved an autonomous car pilot linking West Kowloon and Kowloon stations for an air-rail intermodal service. Weather & Disaster Tech (Brunei region): Korea’s KMA expanded severe weather forecasting data sharing to Brunei and other island states, aiming to strengthen early warnings. Energy & Renewables (Malaysia): Founder Group won rooftop solar EPCC deals for shrimp farms in Kedah and Terengganu, reflecting growing distributed solar demand. Science Spotlight (Borneo): New research highlights Borneo’s “exploding ants,” describing how self-sacrifice helps defend colonies. Regional Tech Diplomacy: El Salvador and Singapore are exploring long-term agricultural biotech partnerships for climate-resilient food systems. Policy & Security (Australia): Australia’s Labor government moved to tighten controls over university research links tied to China, Russia and Iran, including secret ASIO-style investigations.

Brunei Tech & Education: Brunei hosted an international AI webinar for TVET, focusing on AI literacy and future-ready skills as AI reshapes training needs. Local Transport Planning: Brunei’s transport ministry is studying how to keep public transport continuous and tech-enabled, weighing main-route bus services and phased Demand Responsive Transit zones. Construction Modernisation: Brunei’s housing projects are adopting Industrialized Building System methods to improve quality, cut build times, reduce waste, and support lower carbon emissions. Food Safety: Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety found excessive aflatoxin in a bottled pistachio paste (Naturalam “100% Pure Pistachio Butter”) and urged the public not to consume the affected batch. Autonomous Mobility: Hong Kong approved a pilot autonomous vehicle trial linking West Kowloon Station and Kowloon Station for an air-rail intermodal service, with backup operators onboard. AI Weather Tech: South Korea’s weather agency expanded a severe-weather data service for Brunei and other island nations, sharing real-time charts to strengthen early warnings. Renewables for Aquaculture: Malaysia’s Founder Group secured rooftop solar contracts for shrimp farms, pushing distributed clean energy in agriculture. Regional Tech Partnerships: El Salvador and Singapore expanded agricultural innovation ties via biotechnology and applied research.

Brunei Tech & Education: Brunei’s Institute of Technical Education (IBTE) hosted an international TVET webinar on using AI literacy to build future-ready skills, bringing together local and overseas experts. Brunei Transport & Skills: Brunei’s Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications is studying public transport models, including bus routes and phased Demand Responsive Transit zones, with more technology to improve access and service quality. Brunei Housing Tech: Brunei’s national housing projects are adopting the Industrialized Building System (IBS) and modern construction technologies to cut waste, shorten build times, and support lower carbon emissions. Local AI Webinar: Brunei also held an international AI webinar, reflecting growing interest in AI capability-building. Regional AI/Tech Partnerships: Singapore and El Salvador are expanding agricultural innovation ties via biotechnology and advanced tech, including crop improvement and climate-resilient farming. Energy & Solar (Malaysia): Founder Group secured rooftop solar contracts for shrimp farms in Kedah and Terengganu, pushing distributed renewables into aquaculture. Science Spotlight (Borneo): Research highlights Borneo’s “exploding ants,” a self-sacrificing species now formally described and used as a model for studying extreme defensive behaviour. Food Safety (Hong Kong): Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety found excessive aflatoxin in a pistachio paste batch and urged the public not to consume it.

Agritech & biotech diplomacy: El Salvador and Singapore are exploring a long-term agricultural innovation partnership with GRAIN International, covering crop improvement, tissue culture, controlled-environment farming, seed production, biosafety, and AI for crop monitoring. Brunei TVET & AI: Brunei’s IBTE hosted an international webinar on using AI literacy to build future-ready TVET skills, bringing together local and overseas educators, industry, and policymakers. Brunei construction tech: Brunei’s housing projects are increasingly adopting Industrialized Building System (IBS) and modern construction methods to improve quality, cut build time, reduce waste, and lower carbon emissions. Autonomous transport trials (regional): Hong Kong approved an autonomous vehicle pilot for an “Air-Rail Intermodal Service” between West Kowloon and Kowloon Station, using four cars with a safety operator ready to take over. Food safety: Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety found excessive aflatoxin in a bottled pistachio paste (Naturalam), urging the public not to consume the affected batch and prompting a recall. Weather & disaster readiness: Korea’s KMA expanded a severe-weather data-sharing service for Brunei and other island nations, supporting real-time severe weather monitoring and early warnings. Renewables for aquaculture (regional): Founder Group signed rooftop solar EPCC deals for shrimp farms in Malaysia (1.78MW in Kedah; 1.4MW in Terengganu), pushing distributed clean energy for food production. Science spotlight: A study highlights Borneo’s “exploding ants,” a self-sacrificing species used as a model for studying extreme defensive behavior.

Brunei TVET & AI: Brunei’s IBTE hosted an international webinar on empowering technical and vocational education through AI literacy and future-ready skills, bringing together local and overseas TVET experts. BIMP-Eaga trade push: Mindanao’s MinBizCon highlighted halal goods, food processing, fisheries and renewable energy as growth areas, positioning BIMP-Eaga as a trade corridor for wider Southeast Asian markets. Women leadership program: ParagonCorp expanded its partnership with the Al-Mujadilah Center & Mosque for Women under the 2026 Ri’aya Young Adult Stewardship Program, aiming to grow globally minded Muslim women leaders for a tech-driven world. Brunei housing tech: Brunei’s Ministry of Development said national housing projects are adopting Industrialized Building System methods to improve quality, cut build time and reduce material waste and emissions. Public transport planning: Brunei’s Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications is studying bus main-route services and phased Demand Responsive Transit zones, with more technology to boost efficiency and access. Food safety alert: Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety found excessive aflatoxin in a bottled pistachio paste (Naturalam), urging the public not to consume the affected batch. Autonomous vehicle trial: Hong Kong approved an autonomous vehicle pilot between West Kowloon Station and Kowloon Station, with backup operators and marked pilot cars for safety. Weather data for disaster response: Korea’s KMA expanded severe weather forecasting data sharing to cover Brunei and other island countries, supporting earlier warnings and stronger disaster response.