Business   

Major initiative by Malaysian firm towards e-governance

Imagine holding a ‘Smart Card’ the size of a normal business card and do a variety of functions from access control, to e-banking, to paying utility bills, e-passport besides being a national identity document. Yes, it is possible and a Malaysian-based company HeiTech Padu Berhad has done it. They have already covered the entire population of the country and also three provinces in Indonesia. Work is on to bring the entire data regarding citizens in countries s uch as Singapore, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Papua New Guinea.

Malaysia’s national identification card, the MyKad, is the world’s first national ID card and one of the largest issuances of dual interface technology. MyKad has been issued to all citizens. Contained within the MyKad are secured applications for national identification, driving licence, passport details, MEPS cash, health information, automated teller machines, public key infrastructure and ‘Touch ‘n Go” (a cashless solution for paying transport and toll charges).

The customised technology has been used by governments of Bahrain, Syria, Morocco, Kuwait and Myanmar.

Dzulkiffi Abd. Latif, Vice-President/Director of International Business Development and Operations, says the company has provided considerable IT support and diverse solutions to private companies in a broad range of sectors and industry.

HeiTech’s electronic government solution suite links people, process and technology in a seamless integrated manner to deliver value and convenience to the citizens which had made it much sought-after in the ASEAN region, he says.

The company’s knowledge in technology specifics and in system integration assures governments of secure information infrastructure, delivery of peak performance and attainment of high productivity. The Population Management solution provides governments with a consistent view of each citizen. The company’s solution integrates the entire population of citizens’ information about birth, adoption, death, marriage and divorce into a single solution database for all citizens’ needs.

Registration of citizens’ birth, adoption, death, marriage and divorce along with the issuance of the national identification card has been made easier by the ‘Smart Card’.

With Immigration Management solution, the Immigration Department can now issue citizens with Smart Passports where security biometric chips are embedded into them for automated data capturing and authentication and enforce a higher degree of control at entry and exit points of Autogates. In short, it is an end-to-end integrated solution that supports all immigration needs for both governments and citizens. These include border control and clearance; application and issuance of passports, travel documents, entry permits and Certificate of Status; and revenue collection administration. The company prides itself in its transformation capability for the immigration to effect a higher degree of service level to the citizens while upholding national security.

K. VENKITESWARAN

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

FM’s exhortation sparks debate
TDS rate on 8 p.c. Savings (Taxable) Bonds, 2003
Direct payment should avoid TDS
Setback for ‘Brand Bangalore’
Differences over outlay on freight corridor
Major initiative by Malaysian firm towards e-governance

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu