(Penang, Saturday): The Unit Pusat Universiti (UPU) Infoline fiasco is most shocking and should not have happened if there had been proper planning in advance.
All over the country, confusion, dismay and shock reigned when students were told by Infoline that their applications for university admission had not been received when earlier checks with the UPU had confirmed that their applications had reached their correct destination.
The excuse that the UPU Infoline had some �technical problems� because of more than 100 per cent increase in applications this year is completely unacceptable at all.
Also unacceptable is the statement by the Education Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak that one of the reasons for delays in sorting applications was irresponsible students who filled the forms incorrectly. He said the other reason was the service provided by Telekom Malaysia, �which was being rectified�.
The first reason given by Najib is most amazing. How could the incorrect filling of the application forms by �irresponsible students� result in the UPU Infoline fiasco where application forms confirmed as to have been received earlier ended up as having been �lost� by the system?
Najib�s second reason is clearly blaming Telekom Malaysia for providing a lousy system and service. If this is right, then the taxpayers are entitled to know what is the lousy system and service provided by Telekom Malaysia resulting in the UPU-Infoline fiasco.
The Education Ministry should not be allowed to sweep the whole UPU Infoline fiasco under the carpet merely by extending the new university intake of students by one week.
It should give full details as to how the UPU Infoline fiasco could happen as a lesson not only to the Education Ministry but to all Ministries and agencies as to the pitfalls to avoid when they go online to provide electronic government.
(9/5/98)