Many ignorant about website

I have never heard of it. I rarely go online and normally make payments or deal with government agencies over the counter or by phone.—S. Narasimhan, 43, lawyer

KUALA LUMPUR: It is supposed to make it easier for Klang Valley folk to deal with the local authorities and other government agencies.

However, after almost two years since it was set up, many are still unaware of the eKL website -- www.ekl.gov.my -- and the services it offers.

Out of 20 people that Streets spoke to in a random survey, only five had heard about the online service and none had used it.

The eKL is an electronic government initiative which focuses on an integrated and connected delivery of government services within the Klang Valley.

An initiative by the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (Mampu), it aims to provide efficient, fast, safe and people-friendly service through the use of information and communication technology.

It is targeted to serve the 6.4 million people in the Klang Valley including Nilai, Negri Sembilan.

It covers the services offered by various agencies under 26 ministries and the prime minister's department, as well as the Selangor and Negri Sembilan state governments.

The agencies include Kuala Lumpur City Hall, local councils in Selangor, the Road Transport Department and the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board.

The eKL website enables the public to make payments, submit application forms, lodge complaints, and also post their enquiries.

According to the site, it was set up in July 2007 and has recorded 640,000 hits.

Responding to queries by Streets, a statement from Mampu said several more projects have been lined- up for this year.

"This includes the enhancement of myGovernment, which is the government's website; online consolidated payment services; myForms -- an electronic submission of all government forms; and mobile payment through the Short Message Service (SMS).

"There will also be online application of loans and grants, online application for advertisements, and also online initiative to facilitate the intake of international students to institutes of higher learning."

The statement said there had also been positive response to the "mySMS 15888" project which was launched on July 31, last year. The project is a government SMS gateway using one number for all government services.

Mampu said there were more than 400,000 transactions within the first month of its implementation. To date, there are 260 SMS services from 49 agencies.

Mampu said it also constantly carried out activities to promote awareness about the online facility. These include exhibitions, advertisements, radio and television campaigns as well as the distribution of pamphlets, brochures and booklets.

The statement also said that Mampu hopes that by 2010, people in the Klang Valley would use the services of the website.

"The government believes that eKL will facilitate the government's effort to increase efficiency in the service delivery," it said.

NST Online