Balanced approach in govt communication caters for less IT-savvy

We thank Mr Philip Lee for his feedback and suggestion (Update on Budget payments could have been given digitally, July 29).

An increasing proportion of the Government's communication with citizens is already digital, for the reasons that Mr Lee cited - efficiency, cost-effectiveness and environmental sustainability.

For example, for the GST (goods and services tax) Voucher scheme, we have gradually transitioned to SMS notifications for most groups.

In pacing these changes, we are mindful that some Singaporeans appreciate and rely on physical letters to be kept informed of government schemes and updates.

We will continue to press on with digitalisation and digital inclusion, while ensuring that citizens who are less IT-savvy are not left behind.

In the meantime, as suggested, government agencies will consider enabling the national MyInfo database to let citizens indicate whether they wish to receive only digital updates in the future.

Lim Yuin Chien
Director (Corporate Communications)
Ministry of Finance