Singapore's Ministry of Communications And Information (MCI) is to restructure the Infocommunications Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and the Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) to form the Infocommunications Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA) and the Government Technology Organization (GTO), both to be formed in the second half of 2016.
The move follows the launch, in August 2015, of the Infocomm Media 2025 plan, the first integrated industry development plan for the infocommunications and media sectors. It also recognizes the importance of the digital economy in transforming many sectors in the economy, as well as the need to support the transformation of government service delivery through even more intensive use of IT.
The new IMDA will develop and regulate the converging infocomm and media sectors in a holistic way. It will implement the Infocomm Media 2025 plan to create a dynamic and exciting sector, filled with opportunities for growth through an emphasis on talent, research, innovation and enterprise. It will also deepen regulatory capabilities for a converged infocomm media sector, safeguarding the interests of consumers and fostering pro-enterprise regulations.
The new GTO will lead digital transformation efforts in the public sector. It will focus on providing a citizen-centric user experience and encourage the participation of citizens in the co-creation of public digital services. While anticipating and meeting citizens' expectations for digital service delivery, the GTO will continue its efforts in ensuring the resiliency and cybersecurity needs of our government infrastructure.
In a statement MCI said: ""The GTO will be well-placed to help government agencies capitalize on the speed of innovation and new technology trends such as robotics, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, and Big Data. The new organization will also play a vital role in supporting Singapore's Smart Nation vision, especially in delivering the Smart Nation Platform and Smart Nation applications. The GTO will also focus on developing new technology capabilities as well as attracting and nurturing ICT engineering talent that will provide a strong foundation for Singapore's Smart Nation ambitions.""
