Here's some good news.
Efforts are underway to enable the public to access and download various e-Government services using mobile phones with general packet radio service (GPRS) features by year-end.
Currently being carried out by Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) and the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (Mampu), the initiative is now at the prototype stage where work is still in progress, especially in the area of content development and testing the suitability and compatibility of Web- based information for mobile phone screens.
"The project is aimed to extend Government electronic services to a wider range of community through mobile technology. It is part of the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) initiative to empower the people with information through various means. Our target is to have three types of services available on mobile phones, namely those related to the Government, MSC, and electronic health," said the source.
It is understood that the electronic health service has already been made available where the public can interact with doctors on health-related issues through www.myhealth.onhand.org.my.
"However, discussions are still ongoing with Mampu on the types of Government services that will be put on the mobile services," the source added.
The Government services will be available at www.mygov.onhand.org.my, while the MSC services can be accessed at www.msc.onhand.org.my.
"It's a long-term process as the public needs to get used to doing transactions via their mobile phones. We believe the services will be `hot' soon as the processes will be simple enough for the public to use," the source said.
Asked why GPRS was chosen over 3G for the project, the source said it was selected as the main platform for the service due to the mass number of mobile phones with this feature.
"3G is still new and not many people own the phones. However, we are also looking at the technology as a possible means for this service in the future," the source said.
For content development, it is understood that MDeC is working with local content developers.
"There a few capable companies in for the content development, but we have only identified one thus far," the source revealed.
Fitting information of the mobile screen is one issue which needs to be addressed.
"The current mobile phone screen is too small for viewing what is available on the Government portal. What we are doing is to reduce the size of the file from 40 to 50 kilobytes (KB) to just 1KB to enable comfortable viewing.
"We want the service to be available to as many people as possible and we do not want the cost of downloading be a resisting factor. By reducing the size of the page to just 1KB, users only need to pay about four to five sen per download," the source said. The project is said to cost less the RM50,000.
Now it is believed there are more than 20.6 million mobile phone users in the country, which represent a penetration rate of 77.7 per cent.
Autor/Author: Izwan Ismail
Quelle/Source: e-media, 05.06.2006
