State to ‘blast’ Penangites with 2.27mil SMSes
Susan LoonePublished: Feb 12, 2014 6:32 AM | Updated: Feb 12, 2014 7:39 AM
The Penang government has signed a memorandum of understanding with mobile operator XOX Berhad to improve the state’s communications with Penangites.
The Penang government has signed a memorandum of understanding with mobile operator XOX Berhad to improve the state’s communications with Penangites.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said that this will be done through a service called ‘SMS-blasting’ of government information that is useful to the public.
Via this service, a single message can be sent to a large group of people at once, he added.
“This service is also to counter slander that the state government has to face from time to time,” Lim said at the signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding between the Penang government, Information Department and XOX Berhad.
Asked if this would appear like spamming Penangites with unsolicited messages, which the BN had sometimes been accused of, Lim said these messages are state government information.
“They also include state events, current affairs, state welfare programmes and emergencies,” Lim replied.
“Those who are spamming are usually out to make a profit,” he added.
Lim said the state has the capability to reach 200,000 individuals in Penang through direct SMS within the first year of this partnership.
The total estimated SMSes expected to be send out is about 2.27 million, he said.
The free service will enable the Penang government to save am estimated RM180,000 a year in expenses, Lim added.
The service is expected to start as soon as XOX sets up an SMS account for the state government, and will go on for a year, Lim said.
“After that we will decide if we want to continue the service,” he added.
Accompanying Lim were XOX group managing director Eddie Chai, group CEO Ng Kok Heng, state information division director Yap Lee Ying and state information officer Tam Poh Guek.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said that this will be done through a service called ‘SMS-blasting’ of government information that is useful to the public.
Via this service, a single message can be sent to a large group of people at once, he added.
“This service is also to counter slander that the state government has to face from time to time,” Lim said at the signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding between the Penang government, Information Department and XOX Berhad.
Asked if this would appear like spamming Penangites with unsolicited messages, which the BN had sometimes been accused of, Lim said these messages are state government information.
“They also include state events, current affairs, state welfare programmes and emergencies,” Lim replied.
“Those who are spamming are usually out to make a profit,” he added.
Lim said the state has the capability to reach 200,000 individuals in Penang through direct SMS within the first year of this partnership.
The total estimated SMSes expected to be send out is about 2.27 million, he said.
The free service will enable the Penang government to save am estimated RM180,000 a year in expenses, Lim added.
The service is expected to start as soon as XOX sets up an SMS account for the state government, and will go on for a year, Lim said.
“After that we will decide if we want to continue the service,” he added.
Accompanying Lim were XOX group managing director Eddie Chai, group CEO Ng Kok Heng, state information division director Yap Lee Ying and state information officer Tam Poh Guek.
View Comments0