PM Lee: Smart Nation office to be set up to transform people's lives
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday spelt out his vision for a Smart Nation, integrating technology, networks and databases to transform people's lives.
Taking full advantage of technology cannot be "piecemeal" as it is now, Mr Lee said at the Smart Nation launch. It must be approached systematically, to integrate different technologies "in a coherent and comprehensive way".
A Smart Nation Programme Office will be set up and headed by Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan, under the Prime Minister's Office.
It will take in perspectives and ideas from many sources, and ensure that the Smart Nation is built through a "whole-of-Government, whole-of-nation approach," Mr Lee said, adding that he will take a personal interest in it.
He made the announcements in a speech at the Marina Bay Sands Expo, at a launch event held in conjunction with the National Infocomm Award ceremony.
Among the new ideas Mr Lee outlined is a 3D map that can tap local knowledge to collect and show data like animal sightings, potential hazards for cyclists, or even the best mee pok or nasi lemak around.
Called Virtual Singapore, it will be the Government's initiative to open up maps and allow the public to share geo-spatial information.
It is one example of how technology can be used to make Singapore "an outstanding city in the world to live, work and play in, where the human spirit flourishes".
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