Page 34 - Implementing ITU-T International Standards to Shape Smart Sustainable Cities: The Case of Singapore

Implementing ITU-T International Standards to Shape Smart Sustainable Cities –
The Case of Singapore

By feeding data into sites such as data.gov.sg, Singapore’s Government has made much of the
data collected available to businesses and citizens. Due to this open-sourced platform, data
models can be created by anyone, thus increasing transparency between government and
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citizens and reducing research costs for Singapore’s many businesses. To date, more than
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100 applications have been created using the data.
In order to build a more digitally-based and responsive government, on 5 May 2016, Singapore
officially launched the MyInfo application as a consent-based platform for Singapore residents
to manage their personal data for government electronic transactions. After creating a profile,
a user can click the “Retrieve MyInfo” button on online forms of participating e-services to
retrieve and pre-fill the necessary data fields. Users give consent before any data are used in
a form, and they can choose to be alerted whenever an e-service uses their personal data.
MyInfo is available across 17 e-services (and counting), including applications for new flats, the
Baby Bonus Scheme and polytechnic admissions.
This further demonstrates Singapore’s alignment with ITU KPIs that are measuring progress
towards a more inclusive and more digitally-based Smart Sustainable City.
Singapore is also partnering with Microsoft on “Conversations as a Platform” to explore
opportunities in co-creating next-generation digital government services. This includes the use
of intelligent software programmes called chatbots for select public services.

Figure 5 – MyInfo platform homepage

Singapore has also recognized that ICTs can be an effective form of communicating with its
citizenry, particularly if that group has adopted ICT technologies on a large scale, which has
indeed happened. Mobile communication technologies and applications can be effective in
facilitating emergency communication between the government and its citizens in times of crisis
as the message can reach people even if they are not at a specific location. It also allows mass
communication from Singapore inhabitants back to the government.

23 Government of Singapore, 2015.

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Smart Nation Singapore, 2016.

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