|
Bandar Seri Begawan – Perhaps we can no longer think
of e-government as only a tool for productivity and efficiency.
This was said by James Whittred,
solution architect of Microsoft Asia Pacific, yesterday during an interview
with the Bulletin at Sheraton Utama Hotel,
following a seminar on e-government.
He said, "Citizens are beginning to embrace technology not as
a trend but as a necessity that the government should provide. If the old
are ready for ICT, they are obviously ready for e-government. However,
deploying e-government is not just procuring the necessary hardware and
programs; it is a process that is both long and unique to each
country."
Many issues need to be streamlined within the e-government
infrastructure, including transparency, privacy, and local laws, he said.
"A nation may have several e-government infrastructures at
local and district levels, and each may be in a different place at the
maturity curve."
Whitrred, who has undertaken e-government projects in
various countries, said Microsoft is very interested in helping governments
achieve their IT visions at all levels.
"There is not one e-government product that we sell. What we
really offer is our experience, having done this across the region and the
world."
On the country's e-government future, he said, "I can't
really comment on Brunei specifically, but I think it
is really great... the interest that has been shown. It really shows that Brunei has a proactive attitude in realising its e-government initiatives."
However, "in terms of the level of e-government experience in
Asia, different countries are at
different levels on the maturity scale. Even in more mature markets in the
Asia Pacific region, there are government agencies that are still looking
to find their ways through the e-services maze".
He added, "This is only my second trip to Brunei. I am getting feedbacks from
some of the ministries... Priorities are different for the agencies, with
some just thinking about the presence. However, some ministries are
definitely keen on implementing the transactional system."
|
