Gov’t to launch new apps to expand e-governance

A minimum of two new apps will be launched next year to help expand the digital services provided by the government, Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong said yesterday at the parliament.

Cheong attended the policy question session at the parliament yesterday afternoon.

Lawmaker Ngan Iek Hang asked about the further digitization of public services. Currently, with laws and regulations in place, a variety of government documents can be either applied for or even obtained in digital form on the government’s One Account app.

Questions were raised regarding how the app can be expanded to cater to further needs. In response, Cheong pointed out that the government will launch at least two new apps to provide further services. One of the apps will target the needs of businesses and associations.

The reason behind the need for new apps is that the existing app already has many functions. For optimization of user experience and stability, additional apps are needed to differentiate between the needs of common users and users representing businesses or associations.

Therefore, he hinted, the number of functions currently on the One Account app will likely remain unchanged. Functions related to businesses and associations will rely on the new app.

The official added that e-governance does not only rely on providing public access through the use of technology, but also on the collection and use of data “to achieve more accurate and scientific governance.” He added that a personnel administration platform concerning public entities is also being constructed.

Ngan further asked how the government would synergize digital and physical services through automatic kiosks. For example, he said, although the application for certain documents can be conducted online, a physical copy is required for certain entities. As such, he asked how 24-hour service kiosks could help in these situations.

Director Chao Wai Ieng of identification services said that seven automatic service centers will be opened next month, providing 38 services from 11 public entities. They will be located across the city.

Several lawmakers also raised questions about the publicization of government data. Director Ng Wai Han of the public administration and civil service disclosed that originally only 170 data sets were publicized. Now there are 650 sets, involving 39 bureaus or government entities.

The data sets concern topics such as healthcare, urban environment, education, social security, public security and immigration, administration and legal affairs, entrepreneurship and business, as well as tourism and gambling. She pledged that the government would continue to improve in this area.