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The world of k-economy and e-commerce means different things to many people. We have to get used to it. The young people find it easier because they learn to use computer at schools. Now, in Malaysia, there are over 1.5 million Internet users who can access online services from government departments and privatized companies such as Tenaga Nasional Berhad, the electricity giant and private organizations.

You like to make online payment of electricity bills. Can you do it? The Malaysian Government says you can. Why don't you try?

The Government insists that it has provided more efficient online services. Government customers can obtain various information they need quicker without going to the department concerned. They don't have to queue or wait at the counters, write letters or make telephone calls. They can save time, energy and cost.

EFFECTIVE MONITOR

Although the Government says that it is doing well on online services, it has to improve monitoring all the websites including payment of bills. It will find that there are still many things that are not right.

For example, paying electricity bill through the TNB website, e-pay. The homepage contains information on electricity supply and methods of payment of bills. One month ago, we tried to pay by using credit card. But, our card expires in 2004 and the TNB website only accepts card that expires in 2003. Reluctantly, we paid our bills in a normal way. Two days ago, we attempted to pay through the website again. This time the card that expires in 2004 was valid. However, the transaction was not accepted. We went to a TNB office to pay the bills and it honoured the same credit card.

If we have another electricity giant to compete with TNB, services are likely to be better. A big and monopolistic company does not feel the heat of competition.

Yes, the Government says it is satisfied with the stage of implementation of websites in government departments. If the online services are superficially satisfactory without effective methods to pay bills, then this type of satisfaction is unusual.

ELECTRONIC BANKING SERVICES

Even the biggest bank in Malaysia, Malayan Banking, including its merger with the Pacific Bank, the electric banking services make people unhappy. Before the merger, the Pacific Bank services were better. For example, Maybank puts out Kawanku phone banking application form. After we have filled it, the bank says it is out-of-date. We have to use a new form for Kawanku electronic banking services, which was the same form as the one we filled in two weeks ago to apply for Automated Telling Machines services. The bank teller could have offered the phone banking services by asking us to tick on the same form. The other question is why was Maybank still displaying the Phone Banking forms when they were out-of-date.

The Citibank offers all their services immediately when a customer applies for an account. How do we improve the banking services including electronic banking in the country? Is it by having more branches of foreign banks? Or can the Government suggest alternatives?

The Government Internet and IT committee is monitoring electronic services in government departments. Obviously, it has to be more efficient. On the other hand, in the private sector, the banking services must be good to attract customers. One of the objectives of the current mergers of banks is to make them bigger, more efficient and more competitive in the open world.

 Dr Tan Seng Giaw