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From booking a sports facility to accessing our CPF statements, it seems that we have a plethora of apps that serve citizens’ needs.
A search on the App Store reveals 20 over apps that allow us to perform transactions online without having to head down and queue up at the governmental boards or agencies.
Among the list, there are some interesting but under-the-radar ones that Singaporeans may not have heard of.
From ScamShield to myENV, here are five government apps that we think you should install in your phones to enhance convenience in your lives.
ScamShield
As part of the Year-End Crime Prevention Campaign by the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC), ScamShield was launched in November 2020.
When you receive a call from an unknown contact, ScamShield will compare it against a list maintained by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) to determine if the number has been used for illegal purposes and blocks it.
The app also identifies scam messages through the identification of key words using artificial intelligence, and subsequently filters the messages to a junk SMS folder and blocks them.
Scam SMSes and calls will then be sent to NCPC and SPF for collation. This keeps the app updated and will help protect others from such scam calls and messages.
You can also report scam messages from other chat apps such as WhatsApp, Wechat, IMO, Viber, etc through ScamShield’s in-app reporting function.
SingPass Mobile
Any Singaporean would have heard of SingPass, which stands for Singapore Personal Access and is every Singapore resident’s digital identity.
SingPass Mobile has made accessing personal information very convenient, if you didn’t already know.
With the SingPass Mobile app, you do not need to enter long passwords and carry any physical identity tokens around. To access your digital identity, you can either scan your fingerprint, hold up your mobile phone for a selfie (facial recognition for selected smartphones), or enter a preset 6-digit passcode.
The built in MyInfo Profile feature allows you to view your info at a glance, including your passport expiry date, your digital IC, CPF contribution history, HDB property details, vehicle details and even O-level results.
You also don’t need to switch between multiple screens to retrieve your personal information.
The SingPass Mobile app has an intuitive navigation system for users in the form of Login Shortcuts.
When you launch the SingPass Mobile app, you will see icons of some frequently used digital services, such as those offered by CPF, HDB and NS Portal.
Tap on the service you are interested in, verify yourself using biometrics or passcode, and you’ll be immediately directed to the relevant services without having to search for them.
OneService
OneService allows you to provide feedback on municipal issues without the hassle of having to find out which government agency is responsible for the issue.
There used to be times where we spot an issue in our neighbourhood that requires attention. It would set us wondering, “Is this under Town Council or HDB?
Often times, we may reach out to the wrong government agency and it can get frustrating.
The OneService mobile app adopts an issue-based approach where reported cases will be routed to relevant agencies in a more efficient and coordinated manner.
From booking multi-purpose halls and sports facilities to reporting an overflowing litter bin or a footpath that requires maintenance, you can just lodge a case and track its status on the app.
As a result, municipal services are delivered more effectively and interaction between residents and government agencies is enhanced, thereby improving the lives of Singaporeans.
LifeSG
The “LifeSG” app, previously known as “Moments of Life” provides a one-stop, convenient platform for citizens to access personalised government services and information.
It allows you to explore more than 40 government services, up from 12 services previously featured on the app.
A young parent looking to register a new birth and apply for a baby bonus can do that on the app, rather than seek out multiple ministries.
A fresh graduate searching for a job can get quick access to various job portals and career support resources.
A seasoned worker looking for a mid-career switch can utilise resources within the app to find out how to claim their SkillsFuture credit and explore courses to improve their employability skills.
A senior citizen can find different events, courses and workshops catering to the elderly in a single portal that integrates information from different agencies.
With LifeSG, you wouldn’t have to access multiple government websites or apps.
Citizens can also use a personalised dashboard to discover recommended content, access guides that simplify processes such as job and preschool searches and discover government benefits through features such as the Family Support Calculator.
Another interesting thing about this app is that citizens, essentially the users of the app, play a co-creating role as their feedback goes towards improving the app.
myENV
myENV by the National Environment Agency has been included in the Prime Minister’s National day rally speech in 2014 where PM Lee Hsien Loong has lauded the app’s usefulness.
Besides accessing real-time information on the weather and air quality including weather forecasts, PSI readings and UV index, you can also subscribe to location-specific alerts on heavy rainfall, lightning and dengue clusters.
You can also locate hawker centres and vector control operators by name or proximity, as well as search track records of licenced food establishments.
Furthermore, users can report environment-related incidents to NEA by sending geo-tagged pictures.
There is also a Home Energy Auditor to find out which appliance uses the most energy in your homes so you have an idea where to start cutting costs from.
Towards A Digital Government
The Smart Nation initiative in Singapore has been pushing digitalisation here as transactions between citizens and the government are increasingly done online.
Integrated apps that reduce the time taken to fulfil inter-agency requests have also been growing in numbers.
For example, the LifeSG app reduces a parent’s waiting time during the birth registration process from an hour to a mere 15 minutes.
In a bid to become a digital government, ministries have been including digitalisation planning in their strategic planning cycle and working towards digital government blueprint targets.
As a result, we will see more of such digital products and services in the future to enable more agile digitalisation.
Featured Image Credit: LifeSG, Buuuk, Tech.gov.sg, Marketing Interactive, Must Share News
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