GovTech and two technology planning units to come under PMO to improve coordination
By Irene Tham, Senior Tech Correspondent, The Straits Times, 21 Mar 2017
Smart nation projects such as e-identity, e-payment and an islandwide wireless sensor network have been earmarked for some "turbocharging" following an announcement yesterday to fold a government agency and two technology planning units under the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
From May 1, the Government Technology Agency (GovTech) - the 1,800 people-strong crack team behind tech transformation in the public sector - will come under the PMO. GovTech is currently a statutory board under the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI).
By Irene Tham, Senior Tech Correspondent, The Straits Times, 21 Mar 2017
From May 1, the Government Technology Agency (GovTech) - the 1,800 people-strong crack team behind tech transformation in the public sector - will come under the PMO. GovTech is currently a statutory board under the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI).
Whole-of-government technology planning teams from the Ministry of Finance and MCI will also come under the PMO. The teams will join the Smart Nation Programme Office - formed in late 2014 to spearhead smart nation project planning - to form a new Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO), which will have a combined headcount of 40.
Both GovTech and SNDGO will report to a new Smart Nation and Digital Government Group (SNDGG).
"In this way, we will be more coordinated and move forward on the key digital government (and smart nation) programmes in the coming year or two," said Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean.
He added that the reorganisation will provide better central management and accountability, and will have "a greater ability to pull together all the government agencies".
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said last month at the annual Camp Sequoia tech summit that Singapore was not moving as fast as it ought to on digital transformation.
A ministerial committee, chaired by DPM Teo, will oversee the new SNDGG. The committee's deputy chairman is Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim. The committee also comprises Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung and Minister of State for Communications and Information Janil Puthucheary.
GovTech chairman Ng Chee Khern will be Permanent Secretary (Smart Nation and Digital Government) while continuing his current role as Permanent Secretary (Defence Development).
Describing the reorganisation as a way of "turbocharging" smart nation projects, Dr Balakrishnan said: "Over the next year, I hope to see major progress in three signature programmes: digital identity, e-payments and a national sensor system."
In July last year, GovTech engaged digital security systems maker Gemalto to trial a mobile digital ID system in the healthcare and banking sectors to securely identify every Internet user, just like the NRIC does.
On the e-payment front, a Central Addressing Scheme is slated for launch by the middle of this year to allow fund transfers to one's mobile number without having to enter a bank account number.
Meanwhile, GovTech is working with the Land Transport Authority to test the concept of a national sensor network for collecting and aggregating all sorts of data, from traffic to temperature and humidity. The project could see sensors deployed on 95,000 street lights islandwide.
On the e-payment front, a Central Addressing Scheme is slated for launch by the middle of this year to allow fund transfers to one's mobile number without having to enter a bank account number.
Meanwhile, GovTech is working with the Land Transport Authority to test the concept of a national sensor network for collecting and aggregating all sorts of data, from traffic to temperature and humidity. The project could see sensors deployed on 95,000 street lights islandwide.
PM Lee: Boost for Smart Nation push with agencies under one roof
By Joanna Seow, The Straits Times, 25 Mar 2017
HANOI • Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong hopes the move to bring various agencies and units dealing with technology under the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) will lead to faster, better results in Singapore's push to be a Smart Nation.
"You must have the right degree of centralisation to be able to make things happen, and to be able to coordinate tightly," he said yesterday in response to a question by Singapore reporters in Hanoi.
Various agencies and units have been driving the Government's digital transformation efforts, though every ministry and government agency is involved.
On Monday, the PMO announced that the Government Technology Agency - under the Ministry of Communications and Information - and two technology planning units would come under the office from May 1.
A new Smart Nation and Digital Government Group, overseen by a ministerial committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, has also been formed.
This came after Mr Lee lamented last month at a technology summit that Singapore was not moving as fast as it should on the digital front.
Yesterday, Mr Lee said that while Singapore is very digitalised in some aspects, it has lagged behind in other areas, such as smart payments, digital identity, and using IT for transport systems, compared to other cities.
There is also a lot of room to strengthen and grow the systems that the Government uses to serve the public better, he said.
The reorganisation will bring the Government's efforts "more tightly together", he added.
"This way, we will be able to do it more efficiently and with greater results. Otherwise, we are trying very hard, but we are not as tightly coordinated as we could be, and it is frustrating."
By Joanna Seow, The Straits Times, 25 Mar 2017
HANOI • Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong hopes the move to bring various agencies and units dealing with technology under the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) will lead to faster, better results in Singapore's push to be a Smart Nation.
"You must have the right degree of centralisation to be able to make things happen, and to be able to coordinate tightly," he said yesterday in response to a question by Singapore reporters in Hanoi.
Various agencies and units have been driving the Government's digital transformation efforts, though every ministry and government agency is involved.
On Monday, the PMO announced that the Government Technology Agency - under the Ministry of Communications and Information - and two technology planning units would come under the office from May 1.
A new Smart Nation and Digital Government Group, overseen by a ministerial committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, has also been formed.
This came after Mr Lee lamented last month at a technology summit that Singapore was not moving as fast as it should on the digital front.
Yesterday, Mr Lee said that while Singapore is very digitalised in some aspects, it has lagged behind in other areas, such as smart payments, digital identity, and using IT for transport systems, compared to other cities.
There is also a lot of room to strengthen and grow the systems that the Government uses to serve the public better, he said.
The reorganisation will bring the Government's efforts "more tightly together", he added.
"This way, we will be able to do it more efficiently and with greater results. Otherwise, we are trying very hard, but we are not as tightly coordinated as we could be, and it is frustrating."
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