Brunei gets facial recognition system from NEC to improve security

Authorities in Brunei have received facial recognition technology from NEC as part of efforts by the Department of Internal Security to enhance security coverage including at airports, writes Borneo Bulletin.

The NeoFace Watch System from NEC, which was received at the Prime Minister’s Office recently, has been installed at the Brunei International Airport to beef up security there.

According to the article, the donation was made by the Japanese government through the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and it is a reflection of the existing cooperative ties between Japan and Brunei.

The Permanent Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office, Dato Paduka Haji Sufian bin Haji Sabtu, was quoted as saying the facial recognition system will help the department of internal security work toward addressing new and emerging security threats including terrorism.

He recalled that the idea to implement the biometric security project was first discussed in 2019, and the Japanese government and the UNODC have since worked to bring it to fruition despite the challenges triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are using a whole-of-government approach to ensure that the other enforcement agencies based at the Brunei International Airport will benefit from the early detection capabilities offered by the NeoFace Watch System,” said Dato Paduka Haji Sufian bin Haji Sabtu.

Also speaking during the ceremony, Japan’s Ambassador-designate, Maeda Toru, said this move is the starting point of stronger security collaboration as “terrorism cannot be prevented by individual efforts because its activities often go beyond the borders.”

He also spoke of the quality of the facial recognition system, saying not only is it sophisticated, it also easily identifies “suspicious terrorists, notifies the authorities of their information and helps to prevent the terrorists from crossing the borders.”

NEC’s NeoFace Watch facial recognition is used by government agencies and law enforcement around the world, including the UK police.

Article Topics

airport biometrics  |  biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  border security  |  Brunei  |  facial recognition  |  Japan  |  law enforcement  |  NEC  |  NeoFace