Myanmar has introduced e(electronic)- departure form system for all travellers leaving the country to facilitate people across the nation in their process for exit after a passport is ready at hand, the local weekly Voice reported in its latest issue.

Started on Nov. 16, an online service has been provided for the first time by the Ministry of Immigration and Manpower for the formalities and is implemented as part of the e-government systems.

With a special website for e-D form purpose put up on the internet, the e-D form system will be directly administered by the ministry based in the new capital of Nay Pyi Taw, the report said, adding that payment for such application is arranged through local Myanmar Economic Banks.

So far, Myanmar has launched some e-government systems including e-visa, e-passport, and e-procurement to effect management of government bodies.

The introduction of the e-D form system comes at a time when Myanmar is striving to improve public internet services.

So far, 50 public access centers (PAC) have emerged this year in such areas as Yangon, Mandalay, Pyinmana, Pyay, Magway, Muse, Myitkyina, Monywa, Pathein and Taunggyi.

The authorities have projected to introduce 400 public internet service centers in 324 townships in the country within three years to facilitate communication links, according to local media.

The internet services, which include E-mail and network game, are made available by the state-run Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) and the Myanmar Info-Tech.

According to the telecommunications authorities, the number of internet users in Myanmar has reached nearly 300,000, up from merely 12 four years ago.

Meanwhile, in June last year, a South Korean consortium comprising two business companies reached a 12-million-US-dollar contract with the Myanmar communications authorities to help build the entire e-government system for the country over the next few years.

According to the contract, the consortium, made up of Daewoo International Corporation and KCOMS, is to provide information and communication technology infrastructure for the Myanmar government to link its 38 ministries to a high-speed internet network and computerize its personnel management system.

Myanmar's e-government project is implemented under the e-ASEAN Framework Agreement signed at a regional summit in Singapore in 2000 with the aim of narrowing the IT gap among the ten ASEAN members.

Source: Xinhua