(Sarawak Tribune; October 28, 2010)

KUCHING: The electronic government (e-government) portal has served many who are technologically up to date or internet savy.

People who are in touch with the efforts of the government are already familiar with initiative to enhance service delivery with the click of the mouse in their home.

In a seminar organised by the Sarawak Information Systems (SAINS), members of the press were given a special session to note the initiatives relating to ICT and how it has assisted in making the live of Sarawakians better, easier and convenient.

Chief Executive Officer of SAINS, Dato Teo Tien Hiong and SAINS Head of Networks and Systems Engineering Dr. Anderson Tiong gave a presentation entitled "Mobile Computing" which aimed to educate on the shift from an electronic government to a mobile government (m-government)

SAINS has put together an initiative to enhance service delivery of government services to greater lengths. Now as technology advances the government moves along with it as well. Online government services will no longer be limited to a stand-still on your desk but will now be able to move with you via your mobile device.

E-government an online portal which was launched in 1997 and has been ongoing for a number of years now, allows users to access government services without the need to wait in line, or the hassle of travelling for that matter, will go even further now as understood by members of the press.

The portal for those who are not aware of its contents, cointains services provided by the government to citizens that allow for online job applications, online applications for study loans and scholarships, online bill payment, online bookings of local council public facilities and many other government related services.

The shift to an m-government will utilise the current e-government portal at http://www.sarawaknet.gov.my

According to SAINS the portal is currently serving a total of 18,000 government employees.

The m-government will incorporate data capabilities such as 3G, Edge, GPRS provided by mobile telecommunications companies, allowing for access to the government portal all through the convenience of your mobile service.

Services to connect the citizens such as messaging directory services and calendaring, are all part of the m-government package. Applications in rural health-care, knowledge acquisition and service delivery will be added for the benefit of the people throughout the state.

"One of the biggest challenges that we face is how to get the people to use this, whether we ourselves are willing to change our ways, willing to accept the change and willing to try new things or not", Tiong explained to members of the press when asked what their biggest challenge was with the move to an m-government.