"This `Single Window' or online business facilitation web service provides easy access to services of the ministry and the departments under it, and it is hoped this will attract foreign investors to set up businesses in the sultanate," MIPR's Chief Information Officer Hj Zaini Madaros said at the soft launch of eMIPR website www.bruneimipr.gov.bn.
He said, eMIPR currently facilitates 47 types of services under the categories of industry, agriculture and fisheries.
Through the website, investors, entrepreneurs as well as the general public will be able to apply for licences, permits, investment incentives, standard services, laboratory services, business advisory, counselling and financial management.
"The establishment of eMIPR will give access to services provided to foreign investors, anytime and anywhere. E-government is the way to go to further enhance productivity," Hj Zaini added.
He added that officers 'and staff of the ministry and departments through eMIPR will be provided with a secure integrated source of information, the automation of tasks through electronic management thus improving employees' performance and the provision of a faster, efficient, business friendly service of the ministry and the departments under it.
He said the success of eMIPR aside from attracting foreign investors is highly dependant upon the willingness of Bruneians to use the web-based service.
At present, there is a marked digital divide in the sultanate, with some segments of the population still considered computer illiterate.
"Business help centres will be established in all districts of the country, located in the offices of the ministry, departments with IT assistance officers to assist the non-computer literate clients."
However, applicants for these services may still submit applications manually, and IT officers will help fill in the application forms online.
Speaking to The Brunei Times, Alan Goh, manager of Srimaya Technologies & Communication, one of the two companies hired to develop and maintain eMIPR said it took a total of 14 months to build the web portal.
It is currently running on IBM web sphere, and with the soft launch, a hit counter will be placed to track the number of hits the eMIPR website gets. "Prior to this, websites didn't tell you much, where information provided is static. Now the website of MIPR is first of its kind, a portal to display usable services for the public," Alan said. Businessmen can log on to the website, register and fill in applications for licences or any services provided by the site, which is linked to various departments of the ministry, said the manager.
A lot of efforts have been made through road shows to bring foreign direct investments by the ministry in various countries. Now with this portal at the road shows they can have access to services and licences of the sultanate through the web portal.
"We are expecting online visitor hits from all over the world," said Alan, adding that "things will not progress if we don't put anything on the table".
Zainalabidin Salleh, general manager of Primatel Communications which is the website content developer, said foreign investors will have the opportunity to "electronically" register for licences. Through the web-based service, foreign investors can also have their proposals examined by officers of the ministry.
In accordance with His Majesty's titah on improving the delivery of public services, MIPR has also identified other e-Government systems of other agencies that place high importance on the roles of ministry, which include the Department of Labour, Department of Immigration, National Registration, and Royal Customs and Excise, in the efforts to improve the delivery of services provided, and its role as a facilitator of national development and economic diversification.
Autor(en)/Author(s): Asri Razak
Quelle/Source: Brunei Direct, 01.03.2007
