Please Fix Government Websites

No email addresses

This has to be pointed out so that there is improvement in the way how our government webmasters provide proper email addresses for easy communication. 

        For convenience of the webmasters, the email addresses are provided only as DrAzhar(DOT)Samingon@ expecting people to know that they have to add the rest of the standard domain in order for the email address to reach its designated recipient. 

        As Malaysians are now an aging population, and many are unfortunately still not IT-savvy, such email addresses would discourage the public from reaching out to the government officers. 

        Even someone that is more IT-savvy would find it a nuisance having to just type the addresses ourselves, when it could have been copied and pasted. 

        If provided with a link, it would be more convenient for the public to send emails to the government officers. 

        After all, the very existence of senior government officers is to solve the problems on the ground. No one would have the time to complain if everything is running smoothly. 

        On some websites, for example, Bank Negara Malaysia and previously local councils such as Selayang Municipal Council did not provide the email addresses of its officers. 

        Although on my own, I have managed to get MPS to provide the email addresses of all its officers, the Secretary to the Federal Government should issue a directive to all government agencies to provide email addresses in a format that is easy for people to either copy and paste the email address. 

        It can be provided as DrAzhar.Samingon@mof.gov.my or possibly even with a link that allows people to click on it to add to a blank email page. This is a matter of just an additional step. 

        I guess the only two reasons I can think why email addresses appear the way they appear now are either because the webmaster wants to an easy job or the instruction given to them by the head of the agency is to reduce the number of complaints received. 

        Previously, I found that the form designed by the Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) even required the GPS of the location of the complaint. They expect people to know the GPS coordinates. 

        Most people would find it difficult to even determine the GPS coordinates on top of an address that is already provided although it can be obtained by doing a google search. Thankfully, after the matter was brought up with the senior people at MCMC, the required information of the GPS has now been removed. 

        The other thing is the use of the 1-800 numbers for government services. People should be given the option of calling a direct fixed line, or email their complaint. This is for the convenience of people who may be residing overseas. 

        The 1-800 line may be good for people with a fixed line as calls to similar toll-free lines are free, but it is not so for mobile phone packages used by senior citizens.