On Twitter, Malaysians say no to 1 Malaysia email a/c

Malaysians on the Internet are ridiculing the government’s plan to give a 1 Malaysia email account to every Malaysian aged 18 and over.



They were up in arms on social media network Twitter as soon as news of the RM50 million project to set up a new one-stop web portal for government services was made public this morning.

The hashtag “#1malaysiaemail” was the third most popular topic among Malaysian users on the network as of 5pm today.

Many said that the money could be put to better use, such as in education, helping the poor and getting Internet service out to rural areas.

“The free #1Malaysiaemail will be the same as my unifi.my and streamyx. Unattended, full of junk and probably long forgotten,” said a user called starwing.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had said the 1 Malaysia email initiative will allow direct and secure communications between Malaysian citizens and government as well as enhance delivery of public services.

The Malaysian Insider understands that the idea came from a lab session organised by Pemandu, the unit under Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Idris Jala.

Some were also alarmed that the contract had been given to Tricubes Berhad, a company that is currently being monitored by Bursa Malaysia under Guidance Note 3 for accounting irregularities.

“Tricubes is a GN3 company. What the **** does our PM take us for? Idiots? #1MalaysiaEmail,” chris_yap said.

“So it’s gonna cost Gomen RM50mil to setup #1Malaysiaemail? Nice bailout to Tricubes. Whose money???,” vernieman added.

Another user noted that the government still insisted that Malaysians above the age of 21 would have to personally register to vote, yet it was planning to identify all Malaysians above the age of 18, estimated at about 16 million people, and hand them email accounts.

“Now who said automatic voter registration is a hassle again? Giving free email is not, apparently,” said bongkersz.

The email initiative has also paved the way for some to openly poke fun at the 1 Malaysia concept itself.

“Will we be getting #1Malaysia penis enlargement ads now? @NajibRazak Or better yet 1Malaysia emails that say I have won the lottery,” said theshi, referencing common topics of spam emails.

Juanajaafar sarcastically said “the 1Malaysia email account will solve the nation’s brain drain, looming food crisis and reduce cases of incest among urban poor Malays.”

Musician Pete Teo also noted that free email accounts were already available from other providers.

“Free email a/c from govt? Dear @NajibRazak, (why) spend taxpayers’ $$ (to) replicate what Google, MSN, Yahoo, etc (already give for) free? #looting,” he wrote.

Others called on the prime minister to roll out free wireless Internet, improve broadband Internet service and to give computers to those in rural areas.

By Shannon Teoh