INFORMATION and communications technology (ICT) is a staple of modern living. Malaysia has been focusing on ICT and continues to include it as part of the national agenda since 1996, and, with 20 years of emphasis on ICT, the effort has kicked in, resulting in tremendous success.
Last year, 10,369, or 77 per cent, of government services were available online.
The Public Works Department has contributed to this success, particularly in equipping government buildings with ICT infrastructure.
The ICT consultancy unit of PWD’s Electrical Engineering Department was established in 1998 and the first project implemented by this unit was Universiti Malaysia Sabah’s (UMS) ICT project.
The RM25-million project involved campus data networking system and voice communications over Internet protocol (VoIP). This infrastructure enabled UMS to embark on ICT-enabled teaching and learning, including video conference learning between the satellite campuses in Labuan and Sandakan.
Since then, PWD has been entrusted with more ICT projects for almost all government buildings, including government
offices, hospitals, schools and court- houses.
It has implemented more than RM5 billion worth of ICT projects.
In 2001, it led a project involving an ICT system for government hospitals, the first of its kind in the world.
Costing RM600 million, the Total Hospital Information System (THIS) project involved 13 pilot hospitals.
The goal was to provide a complete ICT system in establishing a paperless hospital environment.
THIS integrates clinical, administrative and financial systems into one platform.
THIS is derived from the industry’s term, Hospital Information System (HIS), a technology that improves the gathering, storage, transmission and processing of information for the management of hospitals.
The implementation of such an extensive, high-technology and complex project has provided PWD with vital experience, which, in turn, transformed it into a technical expert in this field.
It has implemented more than 100 ICT infrastructure and ICT system projects for government hospitals, including teaching hospitals, under the Education Ministry.
Since its establishment 140 years ago, PWD has progressed beyond being involved in building and infrastructure works to high-technology sectors, such as ICT.
The decision to introduce ICT as one of PWD’s technical fields of expertise 20 years ago was a commendable one.
Transformasi Nasional (TN50) provides another platform for PWD to prove its relevance to accomplishing this national agenda, which aims to transform Malaysia into one of the top 20 nations in economic development, social advancement and innovation by 2050.
It is anticipated that by 2050, virtual and augmented reality and the consumption of services via digital platforms, such as education, healthcare and
virtual tourism, will be the new normal.
One aspect that is highlighted in TN50 is that the physical office will no longer be relevant and people will work mostly from pods at home.
This concept will change urban development. TN50 offers PWD great opportunities.
The strength in human capital in engineering and technology will position PWD as one of the key agencies in determining the success of TN50.
To accept this challenge, PWD needs to out-position itself from the traditional government approach and be more aggressive in adopting new technologies and innovation.
Internet of Things and robotics will influence the use of ICT, electronics, mechanisation and automation in the construction industry.
Through TN50, PWD can take the lead in transforming Malaysia into one of the world’s top 20 nations by 2050.
Through TN50, too, PWD can achieve its vision of being a world-class service provider and centre of excellence in asset management, project management and engineering services through creative and innovative human capital and state-of-the-art technology.
DR MEGAT ZUHAIRY MEGAT TAJUDDIN
Kuala Lumpur