E-Government in Malaysia: Its implementation so far and Citizen’s adoption strategies.

~Malaysia E-Government~

E-government, short for electronic government is the use of information and communication technology to provide and improve government services, and among citizens, businesses and others.

A tremendous effort has been made to enhance service delivery via electronic means since the 1990 announcement of the e-Government initiative for Malaysia. Most apparent is the construction of facilities and amenities to support the electronic flow of information to the public. Then, E-government launched and implemented since the initiation of Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) by Malaysia Government in 1996. Since, it lead the country into the Information Age.It will help to improve how the government operates internally, enabling the government to be more responsive to the needs of its citizens.

E-government was one of the Seven Flagship Application introduced by MSC in order to lead the Malaysian towards the objectives of Vision 2020. However, there are seven pilot projects of the Electronic Government Flagship Application :

1. Project Monitoring System (SPP II)
2. Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS)
3. Generic Office Environment (GOE)
4. Electronic Procurement (EP)
5. Electronic Services (E-services)
6. Electronic Labour Exchange (ELX)
7. E-syariah

Under these seven pilot projects, it is divided into three categories , one is Government to Citizens (G2C), the other is Government to Business (G2B), and Government to Government (G2G).

Government to Citizens

1) Electronic Services (E-services)

With e-services, anyone can now conduct transactions with Government agencies, such as Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) through various convenient channels such as the eServices kiosks and internet. It eliminate the queuing, traffic jams or bureaucratic hassles and they can conduct transactions at their own wish and convenience.

2) Electronic Labour Exchange (ELX)

ELX is one stop-centre for labor market information, as supervised by the Ministry of Human Resource (MORH), to enable employers and job seekers to communicate on the same platform. Their objectives are :

• Enable an effective and integrated job matching process.
• Provide an effective center of labot market information and references.
• To improve mobilisation of the nation's human resources and to ensure that manpower utilisation is optimized.

3) E-Syariah

E-syariah is the seventh project under the Electronic Government flagship application of the MSC. A case management system that integrates the processes related to management of cases for the Syariah Courts. And, the objectives are :

• To improve the quality of services of the Syariah Courts
• To improve the effectiveness of JKSM (Jabatan Kehakiman Syariah Malaysia) in coordinating and supervising related agencies under its jurisdiction.
• To improve the productivity and efficiency of the management of the Syariah courts throughout the country.
• To upload the splendors of Islam through the use of ICT (Information of Communication and Technology)
  

Government to Business (G2B)

1)E-procurement

An electronic procurement system, which enables suppliers to sell goods and services to the Government through the Internet. Suppliers "open shop" on the World Wide Web (WWW), advertise their pricing, process orders and deliveries. Its objectives includes :

• Enables accountability and transparency.
• Creates more skilled and knowledgeable workforce.
• Equips the workforce with the latest technology at minimum cost.

2)Generic Office Environment (GOE)

Powerful document and office management solution that enables users to effectively and efficiently manage their office environment. It is fully web-based and has been customized based on local developed package, DRDok. Its objectives includes :

• Efficient preparation and storage of documents.
• Fast search and retrieval of documents.
• Effective and productive collaboration and sharing of information.
• Secure and traceable access to documents.

Government to Government (G2G)

1) Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS)

HRMIS is integrated, technology-enabled Human Resource Management Information System for the Malaysian Public Service, incorporating Global Best Practices in HR that would enable the Public Service to successfully deal with the Challenges of the K-Economy(knowledge and the ability to use it to create new value and wealth). Objectives includes :

• Effective staffing and right-sizing of civil service.
• Up-to-date consolidated HR data for effective information planning.
• Automate human resource anagerial and operational processes.
• Improve paperless HRM capabilities.
• Open and flexible system.
• Better communication, horizontal integration, streamlined processes and single window access.

2) Project Monitoring System (SPP II)

Online system that monitors the entire lifecycle of national programs, i.e. from project application to approval to implementation, mid-term review and completion. Its objectives includes:

• To support and monitor entire lifecycle of Malaysia's 5-Year development program.
• To have a quality projects.
• To provide a platform for exchanging ideas and demonstrating best practices models in project implementation.
• To have an effective decision making based on analysis/forecasting of project informaiton and auto-alert on problem projects (e.g. Budget overrun).

Citizen’s adoption strategies

The government should increase the awareness and gain more attention from citizens in the existing of their services provided in e-Government. Then, E-Government adoption requires that citizens show higher levels of satisfaction and security with the online service provided by the government. A higher level of customer satisfaction will increase the rate of e-Government adoption because the citizens are comfortable of the protected privacy and confidentiality of the user's information. Moreover, the service quality should be competitive with the other developed country in terms of speed, problem serving approach, and ease of use of the website. This is important as it provide and encourage long-term users to use the website frequently and cut-off paper work when the payment process can be made through online. Lastly, the government should do more advertising through radio and tv, and organising workshop in a strategic location in order to create awareness and convenience for problem solving as they are full-focus in providing the best services to its citizens.

Corporate Blogging: A new marketing communication tool for companies

With the increase in commodity prices and the slow economy, traditional marketing strategies might prove too costly with advertising and and marketing campaigns. However, you still need to get the public to know about your product or service. Why not take advantage of the networking ties and search engine benefits of a blog?

What once started out as a way to share one's personal thoughts with the world has now become a great public relations and marketing tool.


Corporate blogs are weblogs (blogs) published and used by an organization to reach its organizational goals. Blogs published and used by organizations for marketing purposes, however, are called Blog Marketing. These blogs differ from corporate websites because they feature daily or weekly posts, often around a single topic. Typically, corporations use blogs to create a dialog with customers and explain features of their products and services.

Many organizations use blogs with their user community. This allows them to share and preview product features, functions, and benefits before the products are released. Blogs are an excellent way to gather feedback and to make sure products meet the needs of users. Blogs have become the next generation marketing tool to corporate websites which merely post collateral and do not provide any interactive feedback.

Recently, major conglomerates have been using them as a marketing device to gain feedback from customers, discuss news or promote the latest softwares. The business world's posting pioneers say blogging helps them network, boost sales, and even lobby - at a fraction of the cost of traditional media. Many industries are now hiring full time employees to maintain the company blogs.

Selective blogs, featuring content that offer insight and analysis are the subject matters readers want to make use of. According to EMarketer, the number one reason people read blogs is, “To get news and information I can’t find elsewhere.” Others like blogs because they’re easy to navigate and usually provide daily updates of information. It’s an innovative way to get news quickly and easily.

People can look through blogs at their own leisure. They can revisit the blog by pasting the URL onto their web browser. This is a form of advertising and it is excellent because it will be sought by customers when they seek to visit it again and again. This is better than in the orthodox way where by TV or radio, the ad needs to reach the consumers.


Some corporate blogs:

1. Boeing
2. Starbucks
3. Amazon
4. General Motors
5. Dell
   

Things to take note to prevent E-auction fraud when a consumer participating in an E-auction

Internet auction fraud is a growing epidemic worldwide, as online shopping has grown significantly every year that online shopping has been available. Most internet auction fraud cases involve straightforward scams where consumers allegedly win merchandise by being the highest bidder. All sounds good until they send the payment and never receive the merchandise.

51,000 cases of internet fraud cases were reported in 2002. In 2008, that number ballooned to 105,000. The numbers are staggering, but everyone can lower their risk by knowing what auction fraud is, how to detect it, and how to prevent falling for it.

Tips for preventing E-auction fraud:

1. Understand how the auction works. Many online auctions simply list items that people want to sell. They don’t verify that the merchandise actually exists or that it is described accurately, and they can’t guaranty that the sellers will keep their promises.
2. Be careful if the seller is a private individual. Many consumer protection laws don’t apply to private sales, though government agencies may take action if there are many complaints the same individual or criminal fraud is involved.
3. Be especially cautious when dealing with sellers in other countries. If you have a problem, the physical distance, difference in legal systems, and other factors could make resolving it very difficult.
4. Ask questions about the goods. Try to verify that a seller has the items in front of him consider the payment arrangements requested. Fraudsters will often insist on high-risk payment methods such as cash, cheque, wire transfer or cash transfer systems.
5. Check out escrow services - especially if the other party insists on using a particular service. These sites are often well presented and appear genuine, but fraudulent sites may have a number of spelling and grammar mistakes.
6. Get the name and contact information of the seller. The name, physical street address, email address, and phone number are helpful to have for checking the seller out and following up later if there is a problem. Don’t do business with anyone who refuses to provide that information.
7. Ask about delivery, returns, warranties and service before you pay. Get a definite delivery time and insist that the shipment is insured. Ask about the return policy. If you’re buying electronic goods or appliances, find out if there is a warranty and how to get service.
8. Pay by credit card. Under federal law, you can dispute the charges if you paid the seller with a credit card and the goods were never delivered or if they were misrepresented. If you are paying through an intermediary service, ask what happens in the case of disputes.
9. Protect your privacy. Never provide your Social Security number, driver's license number, credit card number, or bank account information until you have checked out the seller and the online payment or escrow service, if you're using one, to ensure legitimacy.
10. Customer feedback. Examine the feedback on the seller.

Review of a local e-commerce site

Canaanland.com.my is an online Christian bookstore selling bibles, books, music, gifts and more. They ship their products to anywhere in Malaysia although they do have a few physical stores also in the Klang Valley.

The site downloads quite quickly and the navigation to other web pages within the site loads easily as well. When you first open the site, a bright orange header greets you. The website's design and layout is relatively simple yet organized so you will find what you are looking for easily. The colour and font selections are simple to read and easy on the eyes, which is an important thing to any users browsing a website.

Besides that, this website also provides a "shopping basket" and the number of items you have chosen in your basket will be shown, as well as the total amount of money you have spent so far. A visible search engine at the top of the page allows busy users to search for what they are looking for immediately. Canaanland accepts payment online through Visa, MasterCard and Maybank.

Other than shopping at this website, users can also check out job vacancies at their physical stores, sitemaps as well as contact them for any further enquiries.

Mobile payment system in Malaysia: It's potentials & consumer's adoption strategies

Mobile payment in Malaysia is new but fast-growing alternative payment method. Mobile payment is the collection of money from a consumer via a mobile device such as their mobile phone, SmartPhone and Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or other such device. A mobile
phone can pay for a wide range of services and digital or hard goods such as songs, computer games, books and magazines.

The most popular mobile payment system is Mobile Money, a PIN-based Mobile Payment Solution which allowing a registered users to pay for their goods and services at anytime , anywhere using only a mobile phone coupled with a 6-digit security PIN (Personal Identification Number) via SMS (Short Messaging Services). The main advantages here is the consumer has the purchasing power whether to buy their desired goods and services whenever they like using their mobile phone without physically present at the store.


The potentials of Mobile payment system are:

1. Consumers prefer a low-value transaction. However, it will continue to grow as consumer’s needs & confidence on mobile payment increased.
2. An increasing companies in Malaysia are using m-payment system in order to be more profitable.
3. Mobile payment providers have a large market share to grab on while the competition are relatively low in the newly developing stage in the market.
4. High acceptability and adaptability among consumers as the number of mobile users are increasing from year to year.

The adoption strategies will be :

1. Collaborate with banks and companies in order to expand the ability to purchase goods and sevices via mobile which helps to enhance consumer's confidence and satisfaction.
2. Enhancing the security during the purchasing transaction on goods and services.
3. Maintain the customer's loyalty by providing the best satisfaction in terms of security, services, and ease of use of the system.
4. Gifts and rewards offered from the company to m-payment consumers when they reach a certain level of purchasing of goods and services in order to build consumer's confident.

The application of pre-paid cash card for consumers

This is how prepaid credit cards applications work– You put money on the card, which you can do over the counter, on the phone or online, and then you use the card to make purchases. You can continually put money onto the card if you want, but you cannot spend more than the balance you have left. This means there is no risk of running into debt as it has no credit or overdraft facility. A prepaid cash card looks like a credit or debit card, and gives users the ability to purchase products and services with a card. The total amount will be taken from your card immediately and the transaction is complete.

A popular prepaid cash card is the Octopus Card in Hong Kong. It is widely used in payment system for transportation, supermarkets, fast food restaurants, car parks as well as other point of sale application such as service stations and vending machines.

In Malaysia, we have our own prepaid cash card- Touch 'n Go. The Touch ‘n Go card is an electronic purse that can be used at all highways in Malaysia, major public transports in Klang Valley, selected parking sites and theme parks.
Therefore with prepaid debit card, it helps in controlling an individual's spending as purchases are limited to the balance in the card or account, making it a wiser option overall.

Credit card debts: Causes and Prevention

CAUSES:
There are many reasons why people end up with more debt than they can possibly handle on their own. One of the main causes of personal debt is misuse of credit cards.

1) Don’t have credit card education.
Many people get their first credit card as soon as they are allowed to, when they are 18 or sometimes even younger. Many young people see credit cards as "free money" and buy up everything that they want without showing any concern of how they are actually going to pay for it.
2) Emergence of online shopping
With the economy making for a leaner wallet this year, consumers will still likely continue to overspend while surfing the Internet. The reason attribute to overspending on online shopping due to it become more user friendly and convenient to the user. Whenever the users have possessed a credit card, they can just buy the things through online.

3) Encouragement of credit card companies
Even the credit cards have encouraged you to spend money with no worries wherever you go, but the credit card companies have always sent the advertising to assaults you. Card companies often send their consumers all sorts of flyers and deals in the mail that give those individuals rewards and privileges that depend on spending more. It is often these things that hamper their ability to save their money.

4) Lifestyle maintenance
College tuition, cars and mortgages, luxuries house etc are the big expense along the way. Many people focus on one area of finances, neglecting the other so badly that there's not enough money to go around once these life events arise. Therefore, people may then rely on credit to get by.

PREVENTION:

1) Keep a running tally in writing of your weekly or monthly spending versus you budget, and update it before each purchase.

2) Use an online bank account to keep score of your spending. Keep your credit card receipts when you make purchases. At the end of each day or couple of days, use an online bank account to pay the credit card company for the amount you spent. Seeing your balance fall in line with your credit card spending should help you to keep to a budget, and eliminate risk that you overspend during the month.

3) Limit your credit card use to certain categories of spending. Use your credit card to pay only when there's no risk you will overspend. So use it for regular bills, groceries, and expenses where you trust yourself. For areas where you suspect you overspend or spend on impulse, use cash.

"Spending less than you make is what's important."