Page 1 of 7
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at
http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 04 Issue 07
July 2018
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 29
E- Government and its obstacles in developing
nations. A Case study of Malaysia e-government
Bello Taofeek Abidemi;
1
Iliyasu Najeemdeen 2
; Bello M. Kehinde3 & Peter
Ugochukwu Anuforo4
1&2School of Business Management, University Utara Malaysia, Sintok Kedah.
3, 4 Department of Accounting University of Maiduguri P.M.B 1069, Maiduguri Borno State,
Nigeria.
Abstract.
It is imperative for government of any nation to deliver public service efficiently and effectively
due to the benefits its generates to the nation. However, E- Government services are still faced
with increasing obstacles in developing nations such as Malaysia. The present study gives an
insight in to e-government services in Malaysia, how the internet as assisted E-government
services and also some obstacles affecting E-government services.
Keywords: obstacles, E-government, services
Introduction
Since the past few decades, many
governments around the world have become
aware of the potential of Information &
Communication Technology (ICT) in
enhancing their service and increasing their
efficiency (Nawi, Ibrahim and Rahman,
2013). E-services through E-government
initiatives have a large potential in
developing and delivering better services for
citizens, and in providing possibilities to
interact more openly with other related
agencies (Nawi, Ibrahim and Rahman,
2013).
The Malaysian Government has so many
strategies to realize their government
transformation programme; ICT is one of the
key areas that support the programme. Thus,
there will be many e-service projects
introduced by the Government to support
their transformation initiative as stated in
their ICT Strategic Plan. One of its targets is
towards zero face-to-face service delivery
with 90% of all government services are
available online by 2015 and 90% of all
transactions for online services are available
online by 2015 (PPA,2011). Therefore, it is
crucial to ensure that the e-service projects
are successfully implemented and sustained.
The global acceptance of the Internet has
yielded various implications for the public
sector. Unlike their traditional bricks-and- mortar equivalents, government agencies
with online delivery systems are non- hierarchical, non-linear, and collaborative in
nature and never closed. Governments across
the world are grasping the digital
transformation to broaden services for their
citizens (Markaki et al.2010).
Over the past decade many governments
throughout the world have built up their
efforts to improve the efficiency of public
services through information and
communication technology (ICT)
(Weerakkody et al.2012; Kamal et al.2011;
Page 2 of 7
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at
http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 04 Issue 07
July 2018
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 30
Cordella and Willcocks 2010) and other e- government programs to gain considerable
returns and/or savings (Luna-Reyes and Gil- Garcia
2011).
The basic aim of e-government is obtaining
transparency and clarity and also an avenue
for linking government with citizens of its
country (Mohammed et al, 2016). In other
words, e government provides a higher
avenue for communication between
government employees and its citizens (Azri
et al, 2010). With e-government services
citizens can interact though the use of the
web at any point in time and at any place
(Terpsiadou and Economides, 2009). E- government can be classified differently
depending on the service that is related ti the
government sector. For instance, it can be
classified based on Government to business
which is a form of e-government service that
is offered to business sector or it could also
be classified based on government to citizens
which gives accurate information to people
(Mohammed et al, 2016). However, e- government can share information
electronically between two or more parties in
the society (Mohammed et al, 2014, 2015).
A country that adopts e-government like
Malaysia can help in making a big difference
in the governments process (Al- Dabbagh,2011). Malaysian government can
create a scenario that broadens citizens and
businessmen to participate in development of
the economy based on expertise
(Mohammed et al, 2016). Malaysia has a
population of 30.96 million people out of
which 22 million are internet users and
social media users (Department of Malaysia
statistics, 2017). Web applications and the
Internet has changed the way services are
delivered to users (Said, 2016). In many
countries around the world, e-government
Web sites have aided the public to directly
connect with hundreds of services that are
typically encompassed in a main portal
(Alemezi, Tarhini and Sharma, 2015). E -
Government can help Malaysia in building
bridges with other nations and continents
most especially by making use of the most
recent technologies (Mohammed et al,
2016).
Benefits of E-government to a Nation.
It is a well know that that government of any
nation has to make use of information
communication technologies due to the fact
that it is accepted worldwide and it promotes
governance and government. In other to
access the benefits of E-government we
quoted the recognized benefits of ICT as
identified by OECD which are as follows:
E-government improves efficiency: ICT
helps in improving mass processing and
public administrations operations. Internet
based applications can generate savings on
data collection and transmission, providing
basic information and communication with
citizens.
E-government improves services: adopting a
citizen focus is an important element in
reforming e-government in Malaysia.
Successful services are built on
understanding of citizen requirements. A
citizen focus implies that a user should not
have to understand complex government
structures and relationship in order to
interact with government. The internet can
help achieve this task by enabling
government to appear as a unified
organization and provide seamless online
services to citizens.
E-government helps achieve specific policy
outcomes: it helps stakeholders share
information and ideas which further
contributes to specific policy outcomes. The
sharing of information on citizens, however,
will raise privacy protection issues.
Page 3 of 7
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at
http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 04 Issue 07
July 2018
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 31
E-government contributes to economic
policy objectives: it helps reduce corruption,
increases trust in government and thereby
contributing to economic policy objectives.
Specific impacts include reduced
government spending through more effective
programs, improvements in business
productivity through ICT enabled
administrative simplification and enhanced
government information.
E-Government is a major contributor to
reform: The great majority of countries are
facing the issue of public management
modernization and reform. Current
developments mean that the reform process
must be continuous. ICTs have underpinned
reforms in many areas, for example by
improving transparency, facilitating
information-sharing and highlighting
internal inconsistencies.
E-government builds trust between the
government and citizens: building trust
among citizens and government is important
to good governance. ICT can help in
building trust and enabling citizens engage in
policy process, promote openness and
accountable government. And help in
preventing corruption.
E-government enhances transparency and
accountability.: E- government helps to
increase transparency and decision making
process by making information accessible by
publishing government debates and minutes,
budgets and expenditures statements,
outcomes and rationales for key decision
making.
Malaysian ranking in UN E-government
EPI
A critical look at Malaysian EPI ranking
shows that it is falling. In 2008, Malaysian
ranked 34 in the UN E-government ranking.
It ranking improved in 2010 by 2 were it
moved to 32.unfortunately, ever since then it
fell continuously in the UN ranking. In 2012,
Malaysia ranked 40 a difference of 8 from
the previous ranking, by 2014, Malaysia
ranked 52 which shows a large difference of
12 from it rank in 2012 and finally in 2016,
Malaysia ranked 60 a difference of 8points
from its initial point. There are so many
factors responsible for the downward slope
of Malaysia E – government, but of most
important to us is how Malaysia can improve
it EPI ranking in the world to be among the
first 10.following the logical reasoning of
CIMSAS approach, we go in line that any
country that follows it to the core, then
Malaysia will be able to improve E- government ranking. For Malaysia to have a
lasting solution to the downward slope and
also to be among the first 10 countries in the
world, the following recommendation has
recommended by CIMSA must be
implemented which includes:
Capitalize any previous effort
undertaken by the user for ICT
implantation.
When selecting technologies that
should be applied it should be done
systematically and carefully so as to
select the best option.
Consider the overall requirements for
ICT implementation which are not
just technical (i.e. leadership, human
resources preparation, data and
information availability, etc.)
Ensuring that implementing a secure
system which guarantees
confidentiality of the user.
Include risk management and change
management as a necessity for
planned approach,
The system should encompass the
basic requirement for long term
sustainability.
A holistic approach in terms of
coverage and staging that is every
