IDA, MDA aims to restructure to bolster regulatory capabilities

They’re gunning for holistic media sector convergence.

Singapore’s media regulatory bodies are on a mission to keep up with the times. According to a media release by the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI), MCI is bracing to restructure the Info-communications Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and the Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) to form the two new organisations—the Info-communications Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA) and the Government Technology Organisation (GTO).

The new IMDA will be tasked with development and regulation of the holistic convergence of the infocomm and media sectors. It will work to deepen regulatory capabilities for the converged media sector, safeguarding consumers’ interests and fostering pro-enterprise policies.

For instance, the new IMDA’s Personal Data Protection Commission will be tasked to promote and regulate data protection. It will ensure that public confidence in the private sector’s use of personal data is safeguarded, even as companies increasingly leverage the data they collect as a competitive advantage source.

Meanwhile, the new GTO will spearhead the digital transformation efforts in the public sector. It will set its sights on providing a citizen-centric user experience and drum up citizens’ participation in the co-creation of public digital services. It is expected to continue its efforts in locking down the government infrastructure’s resilience and cybersecurity.

The GTO will aid government bodies to capitalise on innovation and technology trends such as Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, Big Data, and robotics. It will also support Singapore’s Smart Nation vision in the delivery of the Smart Nation Platform and its applications. The GTO will also focus on developing new technology capabilities, and attract and nurture ICT engineering talent that will provide the foundation for the Smart Nation goals.

Both the new organisations will be established in 2016’s latter half. In anticipation of it, IDA and MDA will be re-organized administratively starting 1 April 2016.