The Government is splashing out $2 billion on a new five-year e-Government Masterplan, dubbed eGov2015, which includes yesterday's launch of mobile government services and a one-stop portal for access to publicly available government data.
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean highlighted a 2011 Institute of Policy Studies survey which revealed that among more than 1,000 Singaporeans aged 21 and above, almost one in three accesses traditional news sources through the Internet.
"The pace of technology change will only get faster in the days ahead," he said.
This means capitalising on the rising adoption of smartphones, which makes up 72 per cent of all cellphones here.
Singapore's mobile penetration rate is 144 per cent and household broadband penetration rates stand at 82 per cent, among the highest in the world.
Mr Teo was speaking at the launch of the week-long Infocomm Media Business Exchange 2011 (imbX) event held at Marina Bay Sands.
He said that the Government can leverage on new media "to keep abreast of local issues", citing the Singapore Press Holdings' online journalism website, Stomp, "where citizens initiate and participate actively in topics close to their hearts".
"Beyond understanding the needs and concerns of citizens and businesses, governments must also look continually at how they can catalyse the development of new e-services and delivery channels," he added.
That is why he believes that mGov@SG, a comprehensive portal (www.mgov.gov.sg) which contains more than 40 apps and services developed by government agencies, will make it easier for everyone to use it on the go. mGov@SG can be used on iPhone and Android phones.
For example, via the portal, users can check traffic conditions using MyTransport.SG, a mobile channel developed by the Land Transport Authority (LTA); renew a library book loan using Library In Your Pocket, a channel by the National Library Board; and view transaction prices of resale flats on a Housing Board app.
Aside from these mobile services, users can access more than 5,000 free datasets from more than 50 government agencies on the newly launched data.gov.sg portal to create their own unique apps.
Such publicly available data include real-time weather information from the National Environment Agency, geospatial data from the Singapore Land Authority and updated traffic data from LTA's traffic cameras.
The site will also showcase apps developed by students, start-ups and public agencies so that developers would not need to replicate others' efforts.
Mr Teo said that the Government also has plans to introduce OneInbox, a secure online platform where subscribers can choose to receive electronic correspondence from participating government agencies in the second half of next year.
A revamped version of eCitizen Portal, which is an electronic channel for government online services like submitting HDB resale applications and checking Central Provident Fund accounts, is expected to be ready by then, too.
Under eGov2015, the Government intends to adopt a cloud-computing strategy to share computing resources.
Tender for this infrastructure, called Central G-Cloud, is expected to be called in the third quarter of next year.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Rachel Chan
Quelle/Source: AsiaOne, 21.06.2011
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