September 26, 2022

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Improving Singapore’s Transportation System

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With a growing population and over 14 million journeys per day by 2020, Singapore has anticipated future transportation challenges and has planned to ensure that the small city-state meets the needs of the population and that the infrastructure is fit for purpose through innovative use of technology and policy decisions.

With this, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) is currently evaluating solutions to construct a transportation system capable of dealing with future challenges, as well as developing new solutions to enhance the current system. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) Master Plan (LTMP) 2040 report encapsulates LTA’s long-term plans to build an efficient, well-connected, inclusive, and fast land transport system that will fulfil Singaporeans’ needs and aspirations over the next two decades and beyond.

Our transport workers have kept our world moving through the darkest days of the pandemic.

– Singapore’s Transport Minister

One significant challenge is to increase the infrastructure for electric vehicle charging, with the first 620 charging points in public car parks set to be completed within the next 12 months. In his speech at the Land Transport Industry Day on Friday, Singapore’s Transport Minister explained some of the other initiatives (Sept 3).

Push for public-private partnerships

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Enterprise Singapore (ESG) have introduced an innovation call titled Accelerating Co-Innovation for Transformation and Export (Xcite). The LTA and ESG will collaborate with businesses to explore ways to improve productivity in transportation operations and maintenance by leveraging technologies such as artificial intelligence, image analysis, and automation.

Standards for autonomous vehicles

The LTA and the Singapore Standards Council, which is overseen by ESG, released a new version of a revised set of standards for autonomous vehicles (AVs). Since 2019, Singapore has had a provisional national standards system in place to guide the development of autonomous vehicles. The system updates will improve critical areas like operational safety in software design, machine learning, and cyber security.

Upskilling workers

The transport minister stated that the government will continue to work with industry to enhance worker capabilities. He cited a new Post-Graduate Certification for Urban Railway Technology that will be established by the LTA’s Singapore Rail Academy, the Singapore Institute of Technology, SBS Transit, and SMRT as an example. The certification will aim to improve the knowledge and skills of local rail engineering professionals.

To collaborate, over the next 12 months, more than 600 electric vehicles (EV) chargers will be installed at 200 public car parks in HDB estates, industrial estates, and the Central Business District. The first of these chargers are expected to be installed by the end of this year. By the third quarter of next year, there will be 210 charging points in the central region, 50 in the north, 100 in the northeast, 120 in the east, and 140 in the west.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced on Friday (September 3) that a consortium has been awarded a tender to install EV charging points in selected car parks in the central, east, and west regions. Another consortium has been awarded a contract to install charging infrastructure in car parks in the north and northeast regions. The tenders, which are part of a pilot tender issued in November of last year, are the first steps toward a national goal of 40,000 charging points in public car parks by 2030.

The transportation systems that have built the modern world are about to undergo a significant transformation. Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) are improving and making driving and traffic management safer for everyone. Even though cities are underfunded, population growth will continue — the World Health Organisation predicts that by mid-century, 7 out of 10 people on the planet will live in cities. Combined with concerns about climate change, city leaders must begin rethinking the very nature of existing transportation systems.

Indonesia Launches Information Aggregator Website

Image credits: kominfo.go.id
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The information from numerous ministries and institutions, even local governments, will now be combined into one website. The aggregator website Indonesiakini.go.id has been launched by the Ministry of Communication and Information.

This action will make it simpler for the public to obtain reliable information on the numerous policies and initiatives that the government has implemented and will continue to implement.

“We hope that with this website, the public can find out the current situation, and condition of Indonesia by just clicking on one website. The existence of this website makes public communication more integrative, more orchestrated in the eyes of the citizens,” says Usman Kansong, Director General of Information and Public Communication of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.

The Director General outlined how Indonesia’s presence will undoubtedly address the difficulties of rapid, widespread, and integrated public communication. He continued by saying that the dynamics of information and communication technologies that cause the disruption make it difficult for government institutions to handle public information and communication in a way that allows for adaptive public consumption.

It must be acknowledged, nonetheless, that not all local governments, organisations, or ministries have combined their material into a single repository. Communication activities must be adjusted to the changing public communication landscape in government institutions to facilitate the public’s access to information.

The Ministry of Communication and Information has the responsibility to coordinate the planning, preparation, and implementation of public communications related to policies and programmes of the government, in accordance with Presidential Instruction Number 9 of 2015 concerning the Management of Public Communication.

The Ministry is also responsible for organising information into a single narrative for the Presidential Instruction. The presence of Indonesia will undoubtedly be the ideal setting for bringing together the various government channels.

The public will now have easier access to information about the government’s development initiatives. The four information channels held by the Ministry of Communication and Informatics will soon be integrated into the Indonesian aggregator website.

This includes 115 universities, 34 provincial governments, 98 city governments, and 416 district governments. There are also 37 additional ministry sites, 7 institutions, 2 sites run by the presidential palace, and 37 other sites.

Indonesia has collected 588 websites belonging to various institutions, local governments, and ministries. 746 locations total, or 79 per cent of the target, have been reached.

Meanwhile, residents of South Sulawesi, particularly Makassar City, are prepared for the end of analogue television broadcasts and the subsequent transition to digital television broadcasts. In July 2022, periodic opinion polls performed by the Ministry of Communication and Information confirmed this readiness.

Rosarita Niken Widiastuti, a member of the Minister of Communication and Information’s Special Staff, reported that 82.94 per cent of Makassar and its surrounding residents were interested in viewing Digital TV broadcasts.

The willingness of the citizens of Makassar City cannot be separated from the contribution of the performance of the Broadcasting Institution. All 18 analogue broadcasting institutions in Makassar City and its surroundings have transitioned to digital broadcasting.

Furthermore, the Director of Broadcasting of the Directorate General of Post and Information Technology at the Ministry of Communication and Information, Geryantika Kurnia, noted that there are three determinants of readiness prior to the implementation of the Analogue Switch Off (ASO) programme.

According to the Director, 112 Service Areas are affected by ASO in Indonesia due to the prevalence of analogue television broadcasts. LPP TVRI, the Indonesian public television network, is actively constructing infrastructure for the remaining rural sites, of which 90 are already receiving digital transmissions.

Indonesia to Boost Digital Space Protection

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During the 21st anniversary celebration of the Ministry of Communication and Information, Minister Johnny G. Plate said that the nation would continue to strengthen its collaboration to boost its digital economy. He encouraged the ministries, institutions, the central and regional governments, and the private sector to confront the digital transformation problems collectively.

The present concern, according to Minister Johnny, is cyberattacks that occur in the digital arena. He explained that readiness must also be balanced with the ability to prevent and contain cyber-attacks. “In various forms and ways, on the network as well as at the endpoints or endpoints to laptops, servers, gadgets and so on, you must have it. For that, we need to work together with the ministry’s institutions to ensure and to maintain that the firewall is well-available.”

He added that cyber-attacks and cyber security must be dealt with appropriately. He remarked that the development and performance of upstream and downstream ICT infrastructure are now being expanded to all societal levels. The Indonesian government through the Ministry of Communication and Informatics is also preparing the construction of a Government Cloud or Government Data Centre.

Regarding attempts to prevent cyber-attacks, the Minister evaluated the significance of bolstering encryption technology, systems, and excellent organisational governance in resolving cyber-attack issues rapidly. In addition, the available human resources have the necessary skills and insights for the new period, the contemporary era of digital transformation.

Minister Johnny remarked that activity in the digital space has been dispersed among numerous industries, departments, and institutions. Therefore, teamwork is essential to the development, protection, operation, and maintenance of the digital realm. Including Kominfo, for example, in the context of or in relation to laws and regulations, how to apply rules in a disciplined and consistent manner in the digital space.

Meanwhile, the exceptional performance of PT Pertamina Hulu Rokan (PHR) and its achievement in boosting the production of the Rokan Working Area (WK) are backed by the deployment of digital technology and other innovations. PHR is a subsidiary of Indonesia’s state-owned oil business, PT Pertamina (Persero).

PHR has a real-time operational control centre and big data facility that can monitor activities in the field. The establishment of a facility known as the Digital and Innovation Centre (DICE) is critical in facilitating swift and appropriate decision-making.

The DICE facility was launched by Nicke Widyawati, Head of SKK Migas Dwi Soetjipto and President Director of PT Pertamina (Persero). This strategic measure, she said, is part of Pertamina’s efforts to achieve reliable operations under the Go Digital initiatives.

This facility is critical for facilitating quick and precise decision-making and, as a result, meeting production targets. DICE was created by combining two PHR digital facilities, the War Room and the Integrated Optimisation Decision Support Centre (IODSC).

The facility has 66 screens that display data and information in the form of a digital dashboard, such as drilling activity monitoring, integrated drilling schedule, construction of oil well facilities, drilling location preparation, and management of production activities and equipment maintenance.

PHR also employs artificial intelligence technology to create automatic good workover schedules, more optimal and efficient rig movement planning, identification of sub-optimal pump performance, oil flow analysis and measurement for optimal production, and remote and integrated monitoring of fluid pressure conditions in oil wells.

Vietnam Ranks 63rd in Global Index of Digital Entrepreneurship Systems

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Vietnam has ranked 63rd out of 113 global economies in a global ranking of digital environments and support systems for entrepreneurs, according to a new index developed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Released earlier, the Global Index of Digital Entrepreneurship Systems (GIDES) puts Singapore in the first place, followed by the United States and Sweden. In Asia, Indonesia ranked 71st, India ranked 75th, and the Philippines ranked 79th. 17 of the 21 developing Asian economies included are ranked toward the bottom, underscoring the need for these economies to nurture digital entrepreneurship.

Experts have noted that digital entrepreneurship helped economies stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it can become a major engine of growth and innovation in the post-pandemic world. For this to happen, there needs to be a supportive environment enabled by conducive policies and incentives. While the environment for Asia’s digital entrepreneurs made substantial strides in the past couple of years, there’s still a lot of room for improvement.

The index measures the quality of the environment for digital entrepreneurs by looking at the level of digitalisation in eight areas: culture, institutions, market conditions, infrastructure, human capital, knowledge, finance, and networking.

In addition to investing in digital infrastructure such as broadband networks, governments need to promote political stability, reliable legal systems, open and competitive markets, and strong property rights. For Asia and the Pacific as a whole, the lack of a supportive culture is among the biggest weak spots when it comes to nurturing digital entrepreneurship. For example, there is a general lack of public appreciation for the vital role that entrepreneurs play in economic progress. One way to change this is to improve the public perception of entrepreneurship through education.

In February, MIC proposed to replace the programme ‘Developing the IT and Electronics-Telecoms Industries until 2025’ with the project ‘Strategies to Develop the Digital Technology Industry in Vietnam until 2025’. This was considered a critical change to create sufficiently skilled human resources in the digital technology field, encouraging breakthroughs in the industry, as OpenGov Asia had reported. Under the plan, over the next few years, the Ministry will focus on developing a digital technology business ecosystem and upgrading the quality of human resources in the field. It plans to update and implement the skill standards for digital human resources and maintain the 6-6.5% contribution of digital technology businesses to the GDP.

MIC statistics reveal that in 2021, Vietnam had 64,000 digital technology enterprises (a rise of 5,600 units compared to 2020) and introduced several new made-in-Vietnam ICT products. The revenues of the ICT industry last year reached US$136.2 billion, 13.8% of which belonged to Vietnamese companies (US$18.78 billion). In 2022, MIC aims to increase the total quantity of digital technology businesses in Vietnam to 70,000 and the total revenues in the IT telecoms industry to US$148.5 billion, with an IT revenue growth rate of 9.2% and a state budget contribution of US$3 billion.

The country plans to have 100,000 digital technology firms by 2025 and have at least ten firms compete in global markets. It also wants to have 10 localities with revenues of over US$1 billion from ICT and 10-12 IT zones.

Indian Railways Boosts Digital Payments, Online Services

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To promote the Digital India initiative in the Indian Railways, a statutory board of the Ministry of Railways, the government is encouraging passengers to purchase food through digital methods via catering units at railway stations. 8,878 static units have digital payment facilities, a press release has stated.

Additionally, the government has provided handheld point of sale (PoS) machines at catering units to generate printed bills and invoices reflecting all details of transactions undertaken and to address complaints of overcharging. At present, 30,81 PoS machines are available on 596 trains. 4,316 static units have been provided with PoS machines.

To widen the range of options available to passengers on trains, E-Catering Services have been introduced to the Indian Railways. E-catering services are managed by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), a public sector undertaking. Passengers can pre-order meals when they book their e-ticket or while travelling on the train using the mobile application, contacting the call centre, or accessing the website. E-Catering service is currently available at 310 Railway stations through 1,755 service providers and 14 food aggregators, supplying an average number of 41,844 meals per day.

In July, the Indian Railways announced it would deploy video surveillance systems (VSS) at 756 prominent railway stations across the country by 2023. RailTel was appointed by the Ministry to complete installing the VSS, which comes equipped with high-resolution CCTV cameras with a footage storage capacity of more than a month.

As OpenGov Asia reported, CCTV cameras of stations and video feeds will be monitored at three levels for enhanced safety and security at these railways. The system consists of artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled video analytics and facial recognition software, which could aid in detecting known criminals. It can trigger an alert when they enter the premises.

A Network Management System (NMS) will be used to monitor cameras, servers, UPS, and switches. All the data can be viewed from any web browser by authorised personnel. Four types of IP cameras- dome, bullet, pan tilt zoom, and ultra-HD (4K) will be deployed.

Authorities said they would fast-track appointing executing agencies. All the CCTV cameras will be networked on optical-fibre cable and the video feed of the CCTV cameras will be displayed at local RPF posts and centralised CCTV control rooms at divisional and zonal levels as well. The cameras will capture activity in waiting halls, reservation counters, parking areas, main entrances and exits, platforms, foot-over bridges, and booking offices, according to the Railway Ministry. Ashwini Vaishnav, the Railway Minister, was quoted as saying, “We need to rapidly absorb new technology in Railways, be it for rolling stock, construction, safety, cybersecurity, or in situations where there is a human interface”.

Launched in 2015, the Digital India initiative is the government’s flagship programme, which aims to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. It consists of nine pillars: broadband highways, universal access to mobile connectivity, public Internet access programme, e-governance: reforming government through technology, e-Kranti (the electronic delivery of services), information for all, electronics manufacturing, IT for jobs, and early harvest programmes.

Floating Digital Centre in the Philippines

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With the launch of the first-ever floating “Balsa Aralan” Tech4Ed Centre, it is now possible to bring digital opportunities to the far-flung Municipality of Balabac, Palawan, Philippines. This exciting new project is being run by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) MIMAROPA Regional Office and its DICT Palawan Provincial Office.

“Through our partnership and commitment towards public service, we aim to address the digital divide and educational needs of the unserved and underserved areas, particularly for the community of Rabor, Palawan and adjacent areas,” says Cheryl Ortega, DICT Regional Director for Regions IV-A (CALABARZON) and IV-B (MIMAROPA).

She also said that with this joint project, they had brought the Alternative Learning System closer to the homes of Palawan’s fishermen and community people who live in remote areas. This was a much-needed learning platform for them.

Teachers and members of the community who previously had to cross kilometres of land and sea to access the internet, join online classes, or submit reports may now do so within the community thanks to DICT’s Free WiFi For All programme.

The DICT MIMAROPA also collaborated with the Department of Education (DepED) and the local government of Balabac, Palawan to launch the Balsa Aralan Free Wi-Fi. The provision of free Internet connectivity aims to improve beneficiaries’ access to digital content and learning tools.

The DICT MIMAROPA also handed out the School-in-a-Bag, a portable digital classroom designed to help basic education in distant locations without electricity. The school-in-a-bag, with the help of commercial enterprises, uses mobile technology, an innovative 21st-century teaching style, and K+12 material to facilitate digital learning.

Balsa Aralan Tech4ED, Free Wi-Fi for All, and the School-in-a-Bag Project are ground-breaking programmes that aim to bring ICT services to even the most rural villages. The Department wants to bring inclusive community development to the countryside through these projects.

Meanwhile, the DICT CARAGA Regional Office’s Regional Government Emergency Telecommunications Team (RGETT) rehabilitated the high-frequency (HF) radio in the DICT Surigao del Norte Provincial Office as part of the Department’s initiative to strengthen ICT services in the countryside, particularly during natural disasters. The radio, which was destroyed by Typhoon Odette, was recently restored.

Typhoon Odette was no ordinary storm, according to Mario P. Cuado, Regional Director. It was a wake-up call not only for the Caraga Region but for the entire country. As a result, the said initiative was created to ensure that ICT equipment in DICT Provincial Offices is restored, recovered, and prepared for future disasters.

HF radio is advantageous for rural development because it does not require the core infrastructure employed by cellular technology, such as communication towers and internet technologies. Therefore, it is a suitable medium for emergency communications. HF radio is also utilised by the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) and the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) in disaster preparedness simulation exercises.

ICT equipment is critical for emergency preparedness because it enables the public to fully support regional response capability, provide operational telecommunication services across the province, and help disseminate vital information required for disaster risk reduction.

The RGETT initiated the rehabilitation of the emergency communications equipment to ensure that personnel, processes, and technology solutions are ready for deployment and to provide communication services, as well as to support regional response capacities to provide coordination and operational telecommunication services in the province.

The RGETT will install HF radios at the provincial offices of DICT Surigao del Sur and the province of Dinagat Islands as part of the planned activities.

Promoting Digital Cities and Transformation in the Philippines

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During the 10th Visayas ICT Conference (VICTOR), Philippines’ Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan John Uy emphasised the department’s role and commitment to pushing rural development. He noted that they are proud to be an institutional partner in the development of rural-focused projects, such as the conferences spearheaded by the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines, and that they have ambitious plans for the various ICT councils and the Philippines’ Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) industry.

The focus of the conference was on Collaboration, Innovation, and Inclusion. It also addressed the emerging technologies that are redefining the boundaries between the virtual, physical, and biological realms, including Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, Blockchain, and Data Analytics.

Adding the significance of establishing international relationships and ties to advance the growth of the ICT industry. The DICT Secretary highlighted the Digital Cities 2025 Programme, formerly known as the Next Wave Cities Project, aims to establish and enhance ICT councils and stimulate collaboration among relevant stakeholders in the development of their local ICT road plans.

The Digital Cities Programme intends to strengthen the IT-BPM industry and guarantee adequate employment and economic growth, particularly in rural areas. Digital Cities 2025 was established in 2020 to promote the value of rural development and the potential of major regions outside Metro Manila to become vibrant business districts and viable investment hubs for IT-BPM services.

These Digital Cities would ideally encourage existing businesses to grow beyond the National Capital Region and entice new companies to establish themselves in the Philippines.

Complementing institutional and talent development initiatives, infrastructure development attempts to equip stakeholders with the skills and resources necessary to maximise the city’s IT-BPM growth potential. The following measures are planned to attain DICT’s objective of safer, more secure, and more reliable ICT:

  • Internet Projects with Telecommunication Companies
  • Government Infrastructure Projects
  • TNVS Introduction to the Cities

To promote the IT-BPM business domestically and internationally, a comprehensive marketing and communication strategy and rural advocacy activities are required. These consist of marketing and promotion workshops; local trade missions/roadshows; and digital marketing initiatives.

Meanwhile, Digital Governance Awards (DGA) recognise local ICT-enabled solutions in the Philippines and encourage local governments to increase their use of ICT in their communities. The DICT, in collaboration with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP), has inaugurated the annual Digital Governance Awards (DGA) 2022.

With the topic “Advancing Transformational Growth via Outstanding Local Digital Initiatives,” DGA shares the objective of building national indices for local governments. This is in the interest of using the potential of ICT to improve the quality and efficiency of public service.

For this year’s implementation, the DGA intends to involve more local government units and, as a result, generate more inspiring stories and urge more LGUs to involve and integrate ICT in their programmes and solutions; to create a greater effect and deliver better services.

DGA is an annual search for best practices among local government units leveraging information and communications technology to provide direct public services to their people and business stakeholders. DGA endorses the goal of developing ICT-based public service delivery best practices for local governments across the nation.

Singapore Releases Financial Services Transformation Map 2025

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The Financial Services Industry Transformation Map (ITM) 2025 was launched by Lawrence Wong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, and Deputy Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

The ITM 2025 lays out the growth strategies for Singapore to become a premier international financial hub in Asia, connecting global markets, supporting Asia’s development, and serving the Singapore economy. Singapore aspires to be Asia’s philanthropic hub by developing impact monitoring tools, philanthropy advisory competencies, and novel philanthropy models.

MAS forecasts that the financial sector will increase by 4% to 5% per year between 2021 and 2025, creating 3,000 – 4,000 net jobs per year. It will collaborate with the financial industry to strengthen skills in asset classes where Singapore plays an important regional or global role.

The ITM includes five main strategies: strengthening asset classes, digitising financial infrastructure, catalysing Asia’s net-zero transition, shaping the future of financial networks, and cultivating a competent and adaptive workforce.

By anchoring new FX platforms and liquidity takers, MAS hopes to widen and deepen the electronic foreign exchange (FX) trading ecosystem. In addition, the organisation aims to catalyse insurance risk advice and alternative risk transfer solutions for Asia, address pandemic, climate, and cyber threats, and encourage capital market engagement in risk financing.

Furthermore, the country wishes to improve the Variable Capital Company regime and other fund structures to meet the needs of a broader industry; develop private credit to supplement private equity and venture capital funding; and anchor promising FinTech start-ups in areas such as Web 3.0, artificial intelligence, and green FinTech.

MAS will facilitate the development of digital infrastructure and platforms under ITM 2025. It will increase the efficiency of primary bond issuances, listing, and settlement processes, as well as reinforce Singapore’s position as the preferred bond issuance and listing destination.

The agency will also create an industry funds settlement utility to centralise subscription, redemption, and record-keeping procedures and to ease fund data flow reconciliation, lowering settlement time and increasing efficiency.

In addition, it will create a digital platform to connect small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) throughout growing zones. This accelerates trade discovery and makes trade financing more accessible to participating SMEs.

On the other hand, to accelerate Asia’s transition to net-zero energy, MAS is collaborating with the industry to develop creative solutions for scaling up sustainable and transition financing. It will bring more clarity to transition initiatives, such as the creation of an industry-led taxonomy for eight core industries.

In addition to encouraging the decarbonisation of real economy sectors through appropriate corporate financing solutions; improving sustainability disclosures and developing data utilities, such as Project GreenPrint, to facilitate firms’ sustainability disclosures and investors’ access to companies’ ESG data; and providing S$100 million in grant funding between 2021 and 2025 for capability building, green FinTech, climate risk and reinsurance, and solutions for sustainable development.

MAS’s goal is to improve payment connectivity while also creating a creative and accountable digital asset ecosystem. Targeting to increase cross-border payment connections with regional economies; Investigate the possibilities of distributed ledger technology in promising applications. Tokenise financial and real-world assets and enable digital currency integration.

To build a robust workforce, MAS and the Institute of Banking and Finance (IBF) will collaborate closely with the financial industry and tripartite partners.

Over the year 2021-2025, the Financial Sector Development Fund offers S$400 million grant to the Talent and Leaders in Finance programme to allow industry professionals to take on good employment and grow in their careers. This includes the following:

  • Build workforce competencies in areas of growth and offer training support to finance professionals at various stages of their careers.
  • Create specialised talent in fields such as sustainability and technology.
  • Develop leaders by providing them with opportunities to gain expertise, international exposure, and networks that will assist them in succeeding in their leadership roles.

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