Richard Kerby, the inter-regional adviser on e-Government and Knowledge Management for the e-Government branch of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, explained that getting on social networking platforms will help the government connect with the media-savvy masses, especially the younger generation.
This, he said, would work alongside maintaining existing national online portals, where e-services are provided.
"The government needs to get on blogs, on Facebook ...This way, you are telling the younger generation, 'We recognise this is the area you are playing in and we want to join you'," Kerby told reporters at an e-Government workshop yesterday.
He said once the government starts "abrasing" social networking sites, it will clear public perception of the government as a "big brother" figure and, thus, making the people more at ease with communicating to their government.
This will also allow the government to take a more active role, instead of passively waiting for people to check out government websites, he explained.
Although it will not be an outlet to provide e-services, the government's presence on social networking sites will facilitate the dissemination of information or notices direct to the user as well as provide an open platform for public feedback on government services.
In Brunei's case, where mobile phone penetration per capita is very high, having a "mobile government" would be advantageous, said Kerby.
"You can easily provide m-type (mobile e-Government) services in Brunei which would give freedom of movement and accessibility. This is also the avenue that people today are comfortable with," he added.
Some government agencies have already entered the social networking scene.
The Development and Communications ministries have "unofficial" Facebook accounts, where the ministries' recent corporate and social activities are uploaded. The Energy Division at the Prime Minister's Office also used Facebook and Twitter to raise awareness on their e-Saving SOS (Switch Off and Set) campaign, which took place on May 24 this year on Energy Day.
However, there stands the issue that such sites are generally considered informal and the use of which has, in the past, created a stir.
During the Influenza A (H1N1) outbreak in Brunei, the head of Disease Control Division (DCD) at the Ministry of Health posted real-time updates of the spread of the pandemic on Twitter. "Followers" of the DCD head then alleged that the DCD head was forced to resign by the ministry, citing that he had not followed government protocol.
Commenting on the question of formality of social networking sites in the government context, Kerby said, "The formality is a historical formality. You don't have to be formal to communicate with the people".
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Ubaidillah Masli
Quelle/Source: Bru Direct, 17.07.2010
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