Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong cited how Estonia has a digital access card for all secure e-services, including national health insurance, bank accounts, making digital signatures and Internet voting: “The Estonians have this: there is no reason why we should not have it.”
Singapore plans to roll out sweeping technology initiatives to boost efficiency and improve lives, from a national digital identity service to an integrated network of sensors islandwide, The Straits Times writes in its cover story.
A national digital identity system is a project that Singapore has in the pipeline in the field of advancing digital technologies. Prime Minister Lee sees Estonia as one of the best examples in this field. While SingPass, the system that Singapore currently uses, allows users to access government services, it does not extend to private-sector services or even semi-privatised hospitals, Mr Lee noted.
The Estonian electronic ID card, an important foundation of the country’s information society that enabled secure implementation of e-solutions, recently celebrated its 15th birthday. The first ID cards were issued in 2002. eID has enabled Estonia to transform itself into one of the most developed information societies in the world.
The Estonian ID card is used as the national health insurance card and as a document to verify a person’s identity when they log in to an electronic environment. Additionally, a person can use their ID card to participate in e-voting, sign documents digitally, use e-prescriptions and e-banking services. Companies can also use the ID card as a loyalty card.
Mis on digitaalallkiri?/ What is digital signature? from SK ID Solutions on Vimeo.
