EPF To Upgrade Information And Communications Technology

The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) is in the process of re-examining its information and communications technology (ICT) with a view of upgrading it in order to serve its members and employers more efficiently.

As a first step, EPF has appointed a consultant to review and recommend a strategic information and communications technology plan. The plan is to focus on enabling and transforming EPF in line with other world-class organizations of its kind. ICT will feature prominently in the plan as it will be a key enabler for EPF to achieve its aspirations. The EPF sees the importance and benefits of a robust and comprehensive ICT system that will cater for it to become more customer centric and service oriented.

The consultant's two-month study will cover EPF's IT systems, capabilities and processes in particular those relating to the core main-frame systems for members and employers.

The consultant will also identify the required technology applications to support EPF's business needs, the development of IT applications, integration of the system, management data and security of information. It is envisage that the intended solution will not only meet the business needs of the EPF today but also its future vision for tomorrow. 

EPF does not intend to take a short-term view of the world and will be embarking on such an exercise to ensure that it remains relevant in the future. Therefore, any ICT plan that is crafted will need to reflect the flexible and dynamic IT systems. More importantly, it will need to enable EPF to act fast in an ever-changing environment in which it operates.
The EPF will continue to grow and this is a fact. But as it grows, it intends to be a nimble giant and not a plodding and lethargic juggernaut. And the plan will ensure that the EPF ICT is robust and secure and that the security of members' savings will always be a paramount objective.

The initiative will also include looking into the structure, functions and manpower requirements of  EPF's IT Department.

The EPF, which turned 50 last year, began using computers to process transactions since 1967. It has a network of 13 state and 36 branch offices throughout the country to cater to the needs of its 10 million members and 333,000 employers.

Through the years, the use of ICT has increased as the volume of its transactions grew in tandem with the growth of its membership, employer base and new schemes that were introduced. Rather than leveraging on ICT to address the ever-increasing workload and new schemes, EPF will utilize ICT as a strategic enabler.

With the upgrade of its ICT, EPF hopes to provide a level of service that will not only meet, but exceed, the expectations of members in terms of convenience, speed, simplicity and accuracy without compromising the security of members' funds.

(HIZWANI HASSAN)Senior General Manager Corporate Services Employees Provident Fund Date: 5 September 2002