Brunei Tech & Skills: CySec 2026 has officially launched in Brunei to strengthen cyber resilience for critical infrastructure, building on the Cyber Security Order (2023) and Cyber Security Act (2024). Local Digital Tourism: Dynamik Technologies Sdn Bhd won the Brunei Technology Excellence Award (AI–Tourism) for Nakhoda, an AI trip-planning platform supporting Visit Brunei Year 2027 with bookings and payments while keeping sensitive data in Brunei. ASEAN Fintech Momentum: Datastream Digital Sdn Bhd (DST) was named Best Fintech Company Brunei Darussalam 2026, highlighting MyDST as Brunei’s “SuperApp” for digital payments and services. Regional AI Policy Watch: A panel warned that ASEAN countries must navigate US–China AI rivalry, including chip access and AI capacity-building initiatives. Cyber Readiness in ASEAN: Malaysia leads ASEAN for Post-Quantum Cryptography migration readiness (Tier 1), while Brunei sits in Tier 2. Southeast Asia Gig Economy: Grab’s $1.49b plan to buy 60% of Atome Financial signals superapp expansion into fintech, while Vietnam driver protests push for stronger worker protections and clearer platform rules. Climate & Health: Indonesia’s wildfire haze continues to disrupt daily life across the region, with hazardous air readings reported in parts of Thailand. Education & Workforce: Brunei will send competitors to the WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai in three areas: cooking, network systems administration, and mechanical engineering.