Singapore residents wishing to have a better understanding of how the Year 2000 (Y2K) problem will impact the homes and our everyday lives, can now look forward to receiving the Singapore Y2K Home Guide. 2 Published by the National...
Singapore, 29 October 1999 | For Immediate Release
1. Singapore residents wishing to have a better understanding of how the Year 2000 (Y2K) problem will impact the homes and our everyday lives, can now look forward to receiving the Singapore Y2K Home Guide.
2. Published by the National Computer Board (NCB), the Guide was launched this morning by Mr Alan Chan, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology at a media briefing held at the NCB Boardroom. The Guide will be mailed to 950,000 homes in Singapore in November. The NCB, in collaboration with People's Association, will also co-organise seminars for grassroots and community leaders in late November to increase public understanding of the Y2K problem.
3. The Guide is a four-page brochure containing simple, easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions to help home-owners check for Y2K-related problems in home appliances and personal computers (PCs).
4. "While we live with Information Technology (IT) everyday, we are often not conscious of how IT works in our lives. The NCB felt it would be useful to include some pointers on checking home appliances, since the Y2K problem does not only affect PCs", said Ms Wu Choy Peng, Senior Director (Government Systems).
5. Besides helping the public conduct self-tests on their home appliances and PCs, the Guide also aims to answer common public queries about how they should prepare themselves for the new millennium. The information is presented as important do's and don'ts with regard to money, travel, utilities and healthcare matters, and things to look out for when making purchases. At the same time, the Guide offers insights into the Y2K readiness status of the key Government agencies responsible for essential services in finance, telecommunications, air, land and sea transport, water and power, and healthcare.
6. Said Mr Chan: "All the essential services that have wide public usage are well taken care of by the Government and they have been ready since the middle of 1999. Our focus now is to help the public identify and handle any possible Y2K glitches in the homes. At the same time, we must also educate the public so that they can better understand the larger issues. This way, they can avoid becoming easily alarmed by any negative stories."
7. "It is important for the public to have access to factual, accurate and reliable information about Y2K. The launch of the Singapore Y2K Home Guide is a key activity in the national Y2K public communication efforts. We can expect that key Government agencies would be highlighting their Y2K assurance messages over the next two months", Mr Chan said.
8. Mr Chan added: "We believe that most individuals would not be highly affected by the Y2K problem. In many cases, if the date feature in a home appliance such as the VCR fails to work, it may just cause minor inconvenience or frustration to the user. Looking beyond the home, we want to assure the public that Singapore is Y2K ready and we are well-prepared. The turn of the millennium is a great reason to celebrate. The public should not let any undue concern over the Y2K problem get in the way of enjoying themselves during the historic moment."
9. Members of the public who have queries on specific services, can contact the various government agencies. The numbers are as follows:
Organisations
Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore ( Tel: 541-2329/541-2019 )
Central Provident Fund Board ( Tel: 1800-2271188 Code 8 )
Land Transport Authority ( Tel: 1800-375-7300 )
Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore ( Tel: 325-2369 )
Ministry of Health ( Tel: 1800-225-4122 )
Monetary Authority of Singapore ( Tel: 225-5577 )
Public Utilities Board ( Tel: 1800-284-6600 )
Telecommunication Authority of Singapore ( Tel: 323-3888 )
10. The Singapore Y2K Home Guide is part of a series of public communication activities undertaken by the NCB since 1995, to promote Y2K awareness and understanding in Government, businesses and the general public. These activities include: the setting up of the NCB Y2K website (www.ncb.gov.sg/ncb/yr2000) to provide the public with a ready source of information on Y2K, publicity in TV and print, direct mail to businesses, a Y2K handbook, a Y2K telephone hotline (on tel. 838-4483), a Y2K vendor listing on the NCB Y2K website, business, legal and general awareness seminars, the Y2K-In-Action logo to recognise efforts taken by businesses to resolve the Y2K problem, and media stories.
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