IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

Malaysia ranks 41st for digital quality of life in 2020 ahead of its neighbours Thailand which ranks 63rd and Indonesia in the 71st position.

In the study covering 81% of the global population (6.3 billion people) released today by Cyprus-based Surfshark Ltd, Malaysia is among 13 countries in the Digital Quality of Life Index 2020 (DQL Index 2020) that exceed the expected digital quality of life by providing higher levels of electronic-infrastructure (e-infrastructure) and e-government than expected of their gross domestic product (GDP) levels.

Like many public sector organisations, both MARDI and MERS999 have data centres and branch offices spread over large geographies.

The growing need to collaborate, the introduction of media-rich files, and the rising cost of bandwidth are common challenges.

Up to two million people -- mostly from neighbouring Indonesia and Myanmar -- work in Malaysia illegally, authorities say. Those arrested for working illegally or overstaying are deported but many try to return.

A pilot system, implemented at several entry points like the Kuala Lumpur International Airport since late last month, requires visitors to give prints of both index fingers, immigration spokesman Abdul Haidir Mohamad Sukor said.

Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo engaged with representatives from the European Union (EU) to share initiatives concerning Malaysia’s journey to develop digital and smart cities that enhance people’s lives.

During the C-level Roundtable Breakfast at the Smart City World Expo Congress here today, the minister highlighted that the gathering strengthened the partnership between Malaysia and the EU on smart city development.

Malaysia will develop a National Robotics Roadmap (NRR) to step up productivity, reduce the country's reliance on foreign labour and minimise currency outflow.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the NRR aimed to push the country's robot density from only 55 robots for every 10,000 workers in 2019 to 195 robots for every 10,000 workers by 2030.

The Malaysian government is moving ahead with digital transformation under its newly unveiled 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), a key pillar being the flagship MyDigital ID.

Malaysia is targeting 95 percent of all federal government services to be delivered fully online by 2030, and the creation of a single government service window with access exclusively enabled by MyDigital ID.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has put forward recommendations towards reducing public sector expenditure. Minister Ahmad Shabery has said that in order to realise the recommendations, his ministry will leverage ICT to convey and implement government policies to the target group rapidly and accurately.

According to Information Communication and Culture Deputy Minister II Heng Seai Kie, the proposed law aims to regulate the collection, processing, storage as well as exploitation of people's personal data.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said the system, which was studied and tested for one and a half years by the ministry, had so far been implemented in several entry points since June 1.

"We have started (using) the biometric system, but a glitch was detected at the Singapore-Malaysia border over the past few days and we are in the midst of solving it."

Malaysia will make it easier for people to start businesses by launching a new portal for business owners and more online services, the Malaysian registrar of companies has told FutureGov.

Parliament is due to approve a new bill making it easier to start businesses and creating a new online services for businesses by early next year, Khuzairi Yahaya (pictured), CIO, Companies Commission, Malaysia said.

Datuk Solah Mat Hassan, the Transport Department Director-General said the e-Transfer system provides online information developed by eAuto Sdn Bhd one can trace records such as the financial status of the original owner and the status of the vehicle they want to purchase.

He made the remarks after attending the 33rd Annual General Meeting of the Federation of Motor and Credit Companies Associations of Malaysia (FMCCAM).

Touted to be the first-of-its-kind “Bio-Visa” to be introduced in the world, those who do not comply with the Immigration Department’s proposed Biometric-Visa will be slapped with a “Not to Land” (NTL) notice and turned back.

Many foreigners misuse their social visit passes and stay on in Malaysia to work illegally, including taking part in vice activities.

According to records, China and India nationals form the largest number of visitors to Malaysia.

As many as 1.25 million Chinese tourists and 693,056 Indian tou-rists came to Malaysia last year alone.

Shukor bin Ibrahim, director of the eProcurement unit under the Ministry of Finance (MOF) told FutureGov Asia Pacific that IFMS is another major ICT system based on online strategic reporting to facilitate effective decision-making by the top management.

Ibrahim said one of the main features of the IFMS is the strategic dashboard that provides a multi-dimensional view of the current performance of the MOF’s strategic programmes for the top management review and intervention.

Malaysia plans to offer every adult in the country a free Web-based e-mail account to ensure that tax returns, court documents and other official notices reach the population of 28.3 million.

The government has named Tricubes Berhad, a local smartcard reader and authentication software vendor, as the operator of the service. Starting from July, the company will begin setting up a email account for citizens over 18, with a goal of total coverage by 2015, company officials said.

The eP system has modernised the government-to-business procurement landscape, since its launch in 1999. Earlier this month, the portal reached RM60 billion (US $18.5 billion) with over 1.5 million transactions since its inception.

According to Information, Communications and Culture Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim, at present there are only about 1,400 WiFi villages in the country and are mostly found in Perlis, Sabah, and Sarawak.

“We are in the process of building electronic towers in Sabah and Sarawak, therefore our big enrolment drive to create Malaysia as an internet community is there now,” he said.

Covering all 96 entry points, this security effort is meant to register and monitor foreigners from their arrival until departure, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

In parliament, Yassin explained that foreigners will have their thumbprints taken and processed within 20 seconds upon arrival at the immigration check-point.