(The Malaysian Today; December 19th, 2002)

KUCHING: All state government agencies must accept official forms that had been downloaded by the public from their website. State Secretary Datuk Amar Haji Abdul Aziz Husain said this had been decided at the state IT and Resources Council Meeting last Monday.

At the meeting, it was also decided that all non-restricted forms of the agencies need to be downloadable from their website.

"All agencies are required to publish their official forms for the public to download and used over the web, while all agencies must accept these forms as valid and legitimate," he said at the Best Website Competition for State Government Agencies 2002 Award Ceremony at a leading hotel here Tuesday night.

He said it had been reported that some agencies had insisted that they would not accept downloaded forms because it was different from the original forms in term of its paper, print quality and colour. Aziz reiterated that such thinking and mindset by the agencies did not go with the state government's commitment in the development of websites as an important channel for the agencies to communicate with their customers. Other than that, he also called for all agencies to follow the government policies on the websites.

He said all state government agencies must maintain its website and develop their own website otherwise it will be in 'breach of the government's policy.

Aside from that, he said all agencies be would responsible in updating the information in their own website to prevent the public from getting misleading information.

"It is important that all websites be registered with the ICT Unit because we don't want the agencies to unilaterally publish the website with nobody knowing of their existence.

"It is also the government policy to ensure that all agencies websites be posted on a central portal site called "MyOneStopSarawak (www.myonestopsarawak.com.my) " or MOSS.

MOSS is a one stop site for all matters relating to the state, including information publishing and online services.

It has electronic bill and presentment (EDPP) system that enables registered users to receive and pay their bills online without going to the bank.

Aziz said the state's policy on EDPP is for all its bills from all ministries, departments, local authority, and statutory bodies to be made available on the system and is able to be settled online. A total of 81 government agencies took part in the competition organised by the Communication and Information Technology Unit of the Chief Minister's Department.

Kuching South City Council (MBKS) which walked away with the first prize with their website www.mbks.gov.my received RM3,000 cash and a trophy. Industrial Development Ministry came in second with their website www.mid.sarawak.gov.my, they received RM2,500 cash plus a trophy. State Legislative Assemblymen won third place with their website www.dun.sarawak.gov.my, they received RM2,000 plus a trophy.

Three other finalists are Natural Resources and Environmental Board (NREB), State Stadium Corporation and the General Administration and Human Resource Management Division of the Chief Minister's Department all of whom received RM1,000 cash plus trophies.

Aziz presented the prizes and launched the new portal MOSS to replace the previous portal Sarawak Online at the ceremony.