Towards Seamless Customer-Centric e-Services

Launch of 3P Integration to Bring Greater Convenience to Individuals and Businesses

The government has announced a new paradigm in its e-service delivery called "3P Integrate". 3P Integrate aims to bring customer convenience to a far higher level. With 3P Integrate, integration would go beyond government services. Public agencies will be challenged to "start with the user in mind" and to actively look for service integration opportunities with the private and people sectors.

2 Making this call was Acting Second Minister for Finance Mr Raymond Lim at the e-Government Forum 2004. Attended by more than 500 delegates from both government and industry, the forum also featured speakers from Denmark, Hong Kong and the United States.

3 "Customers and businesses need more than just Government services. They also need goods and services from the private sector, and sometimes also the people sector. They want "total service delivery", where their needs are satisfied without having to deal separately with the Government and the private and people sectors," said Mr Lim.

4 With 3P Integration, there will be new business opportunities for the private sector. 3P Integration will also bring more convenience to the customers as well as achieve cost savings for the public sector. The government invites the public, private and people sector to submit their ideas on 3P integration services at www.eCitizen.gov.sg/3P_integration.

National Electronic Bills Payment

5. In line with the 3P integration concept, the Minister announced that government is developing a national electronic bills payment hub. Having successfully implemented Flexi-Pay as a common mode of e-payment for government transactions, the government seeks to bring together players from different sectors to establish a national electronic bills payment hub that serves all service providers and users in Singapore. Jointly driven by the Ministry of Finance and the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, the payment hub will provide a one-stop portal for the payment and presentment of government bills and private sector bills through electronic means. Consumers no longer have to go to different websites to pay different types of bills. The new system will consolidate all billing organisations under a central hub that offers secure and trusted electronic bill payments and related services to consumers.

6. The national electronic bills payment hub aims to reduce the inefficiency and costs of payments as compared to existing payment modes such as cash and cheque payments. Customers will enjoy the convenience of viewing potentially all their bills, whether from government or the private sector, through a single portal, and use a common online payment mode to enable simple authorisation of payments.

7. Work is in progress for a request for proposal (RFP) to implement a national electronic bills payment hub. It is expected to be implemented over a two-year period.

Singapore Government Online Portal

8. In line with the aim of the e-Government Action Plan II to delight customers, the minister also unveiled the Singapore Government Online Portal at www.gov.sg.The new portal brings together three different websites, namely the SINGOV, eCitizen and business websites. The intent is to streamline information and e-services while catering for the needs of different customer segments. The unified government online portal represents government's customer-centric approach to e-services as it eases customers from the complexities of site navigation.

9. The new portal also saw the revamp of eCitizen into seven eTowns, namely

• Culture, Recreation and Sports

• Defence and Security

• Education, Learning and Employment

• Family, Community and Development

• Health and Environment

• Housing

• Transport and Travel

10. With the seven eTowns, citizens will enjoy the convenience of a one-stop portal for all government services and information. Mr Lim said: "The idea is a more intuitive selection of the eTown most likely to offer the service you seek, plus a search engine which can find you the service even if you do not know which eTown to go to."

Notes to the Editor

About IDA Singapore

The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) is committed to growing Singapore into a dynamic global infocomm hub. IDA uses an integrated approach to developing info-communications in Singapore. This involves nurturing a competitive telecoms market as well as a conducive business environment with programmes and schemes for both local and international companies. For more information, visit www.idanews.gov.sg.

JOINTLY ISSUED BY MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND INFOCOMM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE

For media clarification, please contact:

Serene Tan (Ms)
Corporate and Marketing Communication Division
Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
Email: Serene_Tan@ida.gov.sg
DID : 62111168
HP: 9430-7901

Tham Nam Heng (Mr)
Public Affairs Unit
Ministry of Finance
Email : Tham_Nam_Heng@mof.gov.sg
DID : 6332-4506
HP: 9731-2052

MINISTRY OF FINANCE