DAP fully supports the idea of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad to explain further to the people on the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) as he said that many still did not understand what the project was about because of the lack of explanation given to them.
He said: “Many of us, including myself in the beginning, didn’t really understand what the MSC is, but now after talking so much about it, I understand it.”
Mahathir’s admission of general ignorance of the MSC last Wednesday when speaking to reporters after recording his Hari Raya Aidilfitri message at Angkasapuri is very refreshing, as there is no doubt that there is prevalent ignorance about the MSC in the country. In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that more than 99 per cent of the Malaysian population do not understand the MSC.
The level of knowledge among Members of Parliament about the MSC in particular or Information Technology revolution in general is also very limited, and this is why it is most unfortunate that the government is not yet prepared to make public the cyberbills it has finalised to give MPs time to educate themselves about the new frontiers of cyberspace.
In fact, it could be asked how many Cabinet Ministers and top civil servants really understand the Multimedia Super Corridor as to be able to explain to the people about its relevance and importance to the country and the Information Technology Revolution Malaysia wants to undergo in the new century.
There are many areas both about the MSC and the Information Technology Revolution that the government must explain to the people.
The Government has announced that the key component of the MSC is a collection of eight flagship applications, but what Malaysians cannot understand is why four of the most important flagships, namely electronic government, telemedicine, smart card and “smart schools”, must wait until the completion of Putrajaya and Cybercity in the MSC before they could be launched.
If electronic government, telemedicine, smart card and “smart schools” are to be confined only to the MSC, then it would defeat both the equity and universal principles of the Information Age.
In this connection, the recent statement by the Prime Minister that there is a need for Malaysia to switch to use electronic methods to facilitate Government and public interaction even before the completion of the new Prime Minister’s Office in the new administrative capital in Putrajaya in the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) next year is an admission that Malaysia’s concepts and plans for the quantum leap into the Information Age needs constant strategic rethinking in view of the fast-paced changes in the field of IT.
Already, the Education Minister is talking about building 85 smart schools by January 1999 - in contrast to the earlier announcement about introducing four smart schools in the MSC.
The MSC is only a 15km by 50 km cybercentre, and there is no reason why IT initiatives like electronic government, telemedicine, smart cards and “smart schools” should artificially wait for the completion of the MSC before they could be launched in the country as any IT innovation must be able to benefit the whole country and not just a small IT island in the MSC to justify its national relevance.
At present, the Prime Minister seems to be the only person in Government preaching the IT tomorrow, when what is needed is a IT leader in every Ministry and government department who understands that information infrastructure technologies will transform the use, effectiveness and efficiency of government services and their delivery.
There is a need to first educate all Ministers and top government that the IT revolution would enhance democracy and greater public participation in the government decision-making process by promoting an informed and knowledgeable populace through increased access to government facilities. Are the Ministers and the top civil servants welcoming with open arms the IT revolution where government information belongs to the people, is owned by the people and should be accessible to the people?
If so, all Ministries should be required to draw up a programme whereby the public can access their information and services through the Information Superhighway beginning this year, and present an annual report to Parliament on the progressive expansion of these information and services until the year 2,000.
The test for the Government as to whether it is serious about the IT revolution is whether it is prepared to foster the IT mindset as to make public without any delay the cyberbills to be tabled in next month’s Parliament or whether IT or no IT, the government mentality on information has not changed.
(12/2/97)