Adapting to latest technology key to enhance govt’s delivery, productivity

KOTA KINABALU: Adapting to the latest technology is key to enhancing the government's delivery system and productivity of civil servants in the State, said Deputy State Secretary (Development) Datuk Joseph Yuntavid.

Yuntavid, who is also the State chief information officer, said that civil servants need to equip themselves with information and communications technology (ICT) knowledge and skills.

These include blockchain, big data management, artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, mobile computing, cloud computing and Internet of Things (IOT), he said.

From the government's perspective, he said digital innovation entailed an overall change on government functions, from customer service to technological aspects, communication and marketing.

“Digital innovation also includes the concept of paperless government aimed at narrowing the gap (of communication channels) between the government and people.

Yuntavid stated this in his speech, which was delivered by Sabah Computer Services Department (JPKN) director cum State ICT chief security officer Datuk Dr Hj Mingu Hj Jumaan, at the launching of the Sabah Public Sector ICT Security Conference themed ‘Reinventing Government: Securing Digital Innovations' held here yesterday.

He said one of the digital innovation initiatives was creating a smart government based on social, mobile, analytics and big data, radical openness and trust, thus giving the acronym ‘SMART'.

“Such service is offered through mobile phones and other technological devices with the aim to provide services to customers anywhere, anytime,” he said.

In the context of Sabah's public sector, Yuntavid said various digital innovation initiatives have been undertaken since the beginning of e-government in 1997.

Among the online application systems that bring government services closer to the people are the application of State Government scholarship, trading licence, Pukonsa certificate and e-marriage registration launched by the Head of State, Tun Juhar Mahiruddin, on September 11 this year.

Nonetheless, Yuntavid said the government's digital innovation also come with risks pertaining to information security, privacy and cyber attacks.

“To ensure public's confidence on the smart government's digital services, the big data created, especially on personal information and transactions, must be protected against threats,” he said.

Hence, he stressed that continuous planning, implementation, management, monitoring, auditing and improvement on existing security management system of information on the State's public sector must be carried out in line with the changing landscape of ICT security.

Also present was JPKN Security Department head Daniel Ng.