MINISTRY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Dr Toh See Kiat asked the Prime Minister whether he will consider having a Ministry of Information Technology to better plan, co-ordinate and implement the development and use of information technology.

Mr Goh Chok Tong: Singapore has recognised the importance and far reaching consequences of the IT revolution as early as twenty years ago. In 1981, we allocated $100 million for computerisation projects in the civil service to improve the efficiency of the government machinery as well as seed the development of an IT sector in Singapore. At around the same time, we formed the National Computer Board to promote and catalyse IT development in Singapore. We also have the National IT Committee (NITC) to formulate IT policies and strategies, and coordinate and integrate IT applications nationally and in the various sectors of society. NITC is a high level inter-agency committee. It is currently chaired by Teo Chee Hean, with DPM Lee Hsien Loong as advisor.

Singapore has achieved considerable success in propagating the widespread use of IT in homes, schools and industries and in building up a significant IT economic sector. Our household computer penetration rate of 36% is one of the highest in the world. We are spending $2 billion over the next 5 years to provide computers for every pupil in schools. The local IT industry registered revenues of almost $9 billion in 1996 and is growing at a phenomenal rate in excess of 30% a year.

A milestone in our IT development is the unveiling of the national IT plan in 1992. Codenamed IT2000, the plan envisions Singapore as an "Intelligent Island" where IT is used in almost every facet of life - at home, at work and at play. IT will be exploited aggressively to boost Singapore's economic competitiveness and enhance the quality of life of our people.

Implementation of IT2000 is on track. A major component is the creation of Singapore ONE - an islandwide broadband network that will run multimedia interactive services, including fast Internet access, video-conferencing, online shopping and distance learning. Singapore ONE is expected to be accessible to all Singaporeans by end 1998, thus bringing Singapore another step nearer to the "Intelligent Island" vision.

We have done all these without a Ministry of Information Technology. The inter-agency arrangement under NITC has worked well. NITC has provided strong and effective leadership to the push for IT development and use in Singapore. Rather than set up a new Ministry, it is better to focus on refining the existing arrangement, at least for the time being. The strong NITC leadership and added Government emphasis on IT should be adequate in addressing the challenges of IT for Singapore.