MELAKA: Imagine every household having its own official digital identity — an email address that not only carries the historic city's name but also serves as a direct gateway to government services, school updates and community engagement.
Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said the vision became a reality with the launch of the "E-Mel Rakyat Melaka", an initiative that provides every household with a free email account as part of the state's digital transformation agenda.
He said the initiative was designed to establish a secure, trusted and authoritative communication channel between the state government and the people, while giving residents an official digital identity that can also be used as a personal email account.
"This is another approach in managing and engaging with the community so that the people can gain access to various government initiatives and information.
"At the same time, it also serves as a platform for the people to channel their views, suggestions and comments, all of which will be compiled into new policies that can bring meaningful benefits to the rakyat," he said during the launching of the initiative at the Melaka International Trade Centre in Ayer Keroh here on Thursday (July 23).
Ab Rauf said the initiative goes beyond providing an email address, describing it as a long-term investment in building a digitally connected community where communication between the government and the people is faster, safer and more transparent.
He said every household is eligible to register for one email account free of charge, allowing families to receive official government announcements, updates on state initiatives and public service information directly while using the same account for their personal communication.
Ab Rauf noted that the initiative has also been extended to the education sector, where more than 193,000 email accounts have already been registered for teachers, students and parents across schools in the state.
"Through this platform, information on students' academic performance and other important school-related matters can be communicated more efficiently," he said.
Ab Rauf said the initiative complements the state's "Kampung Digital" programme, which has provided all 618 traditional villages with standardised addresses complete with QR codes, further strengthening Melaka's digital ecosystem.
He added that the two initiatives reflect the state's aspiration to ensure technology is not merely about digital infrastructure but about making everyday life easier by connecting every family to services, information and opportunities through a trusted digital platform.
