The survey found that only 53% of Government workers regularly use the Internet compared to 80% of workers in the private sector.
The survey also found that 61% of Government workers think the Internet can improve their productivity. This is in contrast with the average 72.5% of the private sector who said yes.
According to Kelly Services, one of the reasons why civil servants are not keen on the Internet is because e-mail is still not regarded as legally binding in most instances.
Also, issues still exist in terms of e-mail security, the company said.
However, Government officials disagree with these findings.
"There is no specific data to suggest that Government employees are not as keen on using the Internet as those in the private sector," said a spokesman for the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Unit (Mampu).
Mampu is part of the Prime Minister's office and is responsible for promoting the use of e-Government applications.
"Access to information from the Internet can certainly contribute to a more productive workforce, as employees can obtain and share the latest information," the spokesman said.
The main benefit of the Internet to Government workers is speed. "The Internet allows speedy access to information and enables employees to be more responsive in delivering information and services," he said.
E-mail not official enough?
As far as the concern that e-mail is not legally binding, Government officials claim adequate processes are being put in place to counter it.
"Where necessary, e-mails are followed by official letters to ensure the legality of communications. The issue of security is also addressed through the usage of encryption," director general of the Public Service Department, Tan Sri Ismail Adam told In.Tech.
Good for work
Overall, the survey painted a good picture of the tech-savviness of the workforce in Malaysia. The country's use of online communications in the workplace is relatively high by international standards, ranking 13th out of the 28 countries surveyed.
The highest users were Hong Kong, Mexico, India, Thailand and Indonesia. France, Puerto Rico, and Switzerland had the lowest usage. The United States ranked 17th.
The survey also found that men are slightly more enthusiastic users of e-mail and the Internet than women. Those with university qualifications are also significantly heavier users.
However, the survey revealed a worrying trend of unsolicited e-mail or those that have no clear purpose. Some 45% of workers here reported a high volume of e-mail messages that were either time-wasting or unnecessary. Forty-three per cent complained of high volumes of spam.
The local figure is similar to the global figure and it is little wonder that both public e-mail providers and corporate Intranet managers are investing significantly in antispam filters, the company said.
Kelly Services general manager Melissa Norman said it is likely that many of the benefits of new communications technologies are being lost because of time spent dealing with spam.
"This suggests that some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and regulators can do more to prevent international spam traffic."
The survey sought the views of approximately 70,000 people in 28 countries including almost 1,800 workers in Malaysia.
Autor(en)/Author(s): Steven Patrick
Quelle/Source: The Malaysia Star, 05.06.2007
