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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Department of Statistics Malaysia continuously
undertakes creative and proactive measures to
effectively satisfy increasing demand for more
relevant, timely and quality statistics. Some
of the recent major endeavours include:-
- improving the
compilation of annual national accounts and
balance of payments estimates;
- developing quarterly
national accounts in both current and constant
prices (1987 = 100) and quarterly balance
of payments estimates;
- expanding and
strengthening data collection and compilation
system on services sector;
- improving timeliness
and quality of external trade data through
the use of EDI;
- rebasing of
CPI (1994 = 100) and reducing its release
time lag from four weeks to two
weeks after the reference month;
- completing the
creation of enumeration block (EB) maps through
the use of geographic information system (GIS)
under the 1991 Population and Housing Census
Project;
- improving the
vital statistics collection system in Sabah
and Sarawak and refining the methodology
for current population estimates and projections;
- widening the
use of PC and sampling techniques in establishment
and household surveys;
- strengthening
the training unit as one of the strategies
to develop a trained and knowledgeable workforce;
and
- participating
in the SDDS which was spearheaded by the IMF.
1. INTRODUCTION
In line with the rapid socioeconomic development
experienced by the country, the demand for relevant,
timely and quality statistics had increased
many fold over the last few years. The Department
of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), being the leading
government agency in the collection, compilation
and dissemination of national and state level
statistics, has accordingly taken appropriate
measures to establish priority areas to satisfy
this growing need. This paper attempts to highlight
some of the recent major developments at DOSM
which are aimed at further increasing the effectiveness
of the department in meeting user requirements.
2. IMPROVEMENT IN THE
COMPILATION OF ANNUAL NATIONAL ACCOUNTS AND
THE DEVELOPMENT OF QUARTERLY NATIONAL ACCOUNTS
2.1. The Department
is in the process of developing a series of
national accounts production measures. These
will consist of annual and quarterly estimates
of the contribution of industries to Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) and the expenditure on GDP. Compilation
of these estimates will be in both current and
constant prices.
2.2. The series are based on the 1987 Inter
Industry Input-Output Study. Annual series are
to be produced for 1987 and onwards,
with the quarterly series commencing for the
first quarter of 1991.
2.3. The production analysis will recognise
about b46 industries in the annual series
and 28 industries in the quarterly series.
Whilst an industry analysis will be made available
for both series, a distinction is made for industries
which feature prominently in the Malaysian economy
- palm oil, petroleum, assembly of motor vehicles
and electronics. This industry analysis is compatible
with international reporting requirement.
2.4. The expenditure on GDP
will cover the standard uses of private consumption,
government consumption, capital formation and
stock change and the import/export balance.
2.5. While the quarterly GDP
in constant prices (1978=100) has been published,
preparation of the quarterly national accounts
estimates, both in current and constant prices
(1987=100), is at an advanced stage. The quarterly
estimates is targeted to be produced routinely
12 weeks after the end of each reference
quarter. Assistance from technical expert is
being sought to achieve this timeliness. Technical
expertise is also needed to enhance the overall
compilation of the national accounts estimates,
particularly in respect of coverage, data sources
and procedures.
2.6. The development work has identified some
areas where the availibility of additional statistics
will improve the accuracy of the estimates.
Proposals are being considered for improvements
to some of the existing data collection systems
covering key areas of economic activity. It
is hoped that with this technical assistance,
the quality of national accounts statistics
will be further enhanced.
3. IMPROVEMENT IN THE
COMPILATION OF BALANCE OF PAYMENTS ESTIMATES
AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF QUARTERLY BALANCE OF
PAYMENTS ESTIMATES
3.1. The DOSM is an
official compiler of annual balance of payments
(BOP) estimates for Malaysia vis-a-vis non-residents.
It releases the official estimates for previous
year in September of the following year
while the Central Bank of Malaysia releases
preliminary BOP estimates for the previous year
in March of the following year. Projections
for the following year are made available in
October of the current year by the Ministry
of Finance.
3.2. Malaysia's BOP estimates are compiled
based on the recommendations of the 4th edition
of the BOP Manual of the International Monetary
Fund (IMF).
3.3. The department had engaged
a technical expert from Statistics New Zealand
to review its annual BOP estimates with respect
to its methodology and sources of data. The
main objectives of this review were to ascertain
the usefulness of the current statistics being
produced and to recommend both short and long-term
measures for improvements in order to meet users'
needs more adequately and to conform to the
requirements of the IMF's 5th edition of the
BOP Manual.
3.4. Currently, the compilation of the annual
BOP estimates is being improved in line with
the expert's recommendations. Amongst others,
the collection of data on trade in services
is being enhanced with the implementation of
a new survey which has taken into account the
requirements of the 5th edition of the BOP Manual.
A new survey is also being planned to enhance
the collection and compilation of data on investment
income and capital flows vis-a-vis non-residents.
3.5. While striving to improve the compilation
of its annual BOP estimates, the Department
is also developing and operationalising the
compilation of quarterly BOP estimates for Malaysia
as a whole vis-a-vis the rest of the world,
also with the help of a technical expert from
Statistics New Zealand.
3.6. Preparatory work to publish the quarterly
series, commencing reference year 1991, is at
the advanced stage. Initially it takes 16
weeks after the reference quarter to produce
the quarterly estimates, with an earlier time
span of 12 weeks as the next target.
4. DATABASE FOR THE
SERVICES SECTORS
4.1. It is generally acknowledged that data
on the services sector are relatively weak or
even not available in some developing countries.
Traditionally, the manufacturing and the agricultural
sectors were the focus of attention in the national
economic development plans of these countries,
while the services sector was neglected in the
development process.
4.2. In Malaysia, the tremendous economic
progress achieved during the last 10 years (average
GDP growth of 7.8%) has seen the need for a
more developed services sector, which would
support, and grow in tandem with, the growth
of other sectors. However, Malaysia is also
experiencing a weak database for this sector.
4.3. In recognition of this weakness, the
DOSM is endeavouring to improve its database
through increasing the number of statistical
enquiries in this sector as well as through
the canvassing of data from the administrative
records of government agencies and private sector.
Most importantly, the information is necessary
for the formulation of corrective measure to
address Malaysia's widening services deficit
in the balance of payments.
4.4. In this connection, the Department has
embarked on a study of the services sector and
has come out with suggestions for a number of
surveys to be carried out on a priority basis
in the following areas:
(a) Telecommunications; (b) Real Estate Development
and Operations; (c) Computer and Related Activities;
(d) Business and Management Consultancy Services;
and (e) Other Business Services.
4.5. With regard to the balance of payments
deficit, the Department is currently conducting
a quarterly survey of limited companies in Malaysia
to tap international transactions in services
with non-residents in a number of related areas.
It is the intention of the Department to extend
the scope and coverage of the areas surveyed
to accord with the recommendations of the 5th
edition of the IMF's BOP Manual.
5. IMPROVING TIMELINESS
AND QUALITY IN THE PROCESSING OF EXTERNAL TRADE
STATISTICS
5.1 Over the last three-year period (1993 -
1995), Malaysia's external trade performance
continued to improve significantly. The export
sector expanded at an average rate of 21.4%
whilst the import sector grew at a much faster
rate of 24.4%.
5.2 Against this background, the Department
has been faced with an increasing demand for
timely and quality trade statistics from users,
both in the public and private sectors. Data
are needed to monitor national trade performance,
the market share of total world trade as well
as the identification of priority products for
trade promotion, market studies and research.
5.3. With the encouraging growth of both the
import and export sectors in recent years, there
has been a substantial increase in the number
of customs documents declared by importers/exporters.
For instance, between 1993 and 1995, the receipt
of customs declarations at the Department for
processing has increased at an annual rate of
7.9%, from 7.2 million forms in
1993 to over 8.3 million forms
in 1995.
5.4. Given that the collection of trade statistics
has reached a high level of international standardization
and realising that the country is still dependent
on traditional, manual, paper-based methods
in declaring their goods, the Government, as
early as 1989, encouraged and initiated the
use of electronic data interchange (EDI) technology
for the clearance of cargo. Phase One of Trade*Net
System, covering the Klang Valley, has been
launched on a pilot basis since early 1994.
With this launch, tedious paperwork which inundates
the Department would be the thing of the past.
There would be speedy processing and increased
accuracy in reporting. Dependency on human resources
would be reduced and the staff would be redeployed
to other areas of work. In short, there would
be savings in terms manpower, paper, time, money
whilst, at the same time, it would streamline
processes, heighten efficiency as well as productivity.
5.5 An immediate spin-off from the implementation
of the Trade*Net System is the introduction
of 'front-end' checks and verification of data
prior to customs clearance. In addition, the
System facilitates on-line electronic transmission
of import/export transactions directly to the
processing unit of the Department, thereby reducing
significantly the time taken to physically move
the large number of declarations for processing.
In such an environment, the Department would
only undertake minimum down-stream editing and
processing activities, and, hence, facilitating
the speedy generation of trade reports at less
than half the time that is currently needed
to produce the desired trade reports. It is
envisaged that there would be substantial time
savings in processing activities such as validation
of data, etc, since certain stringent checks
would have already been incorporated at the
intial stage of data submission through the
Trade*Net System. Activities associated with
'batch processing' of trade documents (sorting,
batching and coding of forms) could also be
dispensed with, thereby leading to the reduction
in the large number of staff being engaged presently.
5.6 Phase One of the Trade*Net
System, called the Port Klang Community System
(PKCS) and Subang Air Community System (SAAS),
is already in operational mode since April
1996 at the the country's premier sea-port
(Port Klang) and airport (Subang). The Trade*Net
System is based on the UN/EDIFACT messages framework
and links together electronically with many
parties (government and non-government) involved
in the submission and clearance of goods. These
Systems (PKCS and SAAS) will interface with
the computerised Customs Information System
(SMK-Dagang*Net Interface) which is being developed
by the Department of Royal Customs and Excise,
Malaysia.
5.7 The PKCS/SAAS projects are two of the
many trade facilitation initiatives that are
being carried out jointly by the Government
and the private sector to support increased
trade activities in the country and to enhance
Malaysia's competitive edge. The Systems have
already been planned and are at various stages
of implementation. Under Phase Two of the Trade*Net
System, scheduled for operation by end 1998,
there would be full implementation of EDI technology
in the clearance of cargo nationwide.
6. THE CONSUMER PRICE
INDEX (CPI)
6.1. The current CPI Malaysia is based on Laspeyres
Formula. It measures the average rate of change
in prices of a fixed basket of goods and services
representing the expenditure pattern of all
households in Malaysia with 1994 as the base
year. The indices for Malaysia, Peninsular Malaysia,
Sabah and Sarawak are produced on a monthly
basis with a time lag of two weeks after the
reference month (Note: Formerly it was
produced one month after the reference month).
This has been made possible by efficiently curtailing
the time of data capture and introducing the
use of personal computers in error correction.
The processing system has been further improved
by implementing electronic data capture at the
regional offices.
6.2. Indices are compiled from about 80,000
price quotations covering around 430b
items from about 10,000 outlets in Malaysia.
The CPI weights are based on the Household Expenditure
Survey conducted over twelve months from April
1993 to March 1994 adjusted to base year 1994
= 100. The rebase was necessitated by the rapid
economic development which took place since
1990, with an average GDP growth rate of 8.8
per cent per annum.
6.3. The Department is currently examining
the possibility of constructing CPI for sub-regions
and major towns. At the same time, further quality
improvements are being planned and will be carried
out after a review of the data collected for
selected groups of items is completed.
7. GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
SYSTEM (GIS)
7.1. As part of the implementation of the GIS
under the 1991 Population and Housing Census
Project, the creation of the Cartographic Database
which involved the capture of geographic data
pertaining to census geostatistical and administrative
unit was completed in 1995. Juxtaposed
with this was the creation of the 1991 Census
Database which was also completed in 1995.
The 1991 Census Database contains a frequency
count for all the variables collected in the
1991 Population and Housing Census of Malaysia.
Due to the large data set and consequently the
problems encountered in storage, both these
databases will remain separate only to be joined
or merged as and when it becomes necessary to
produce maps depicting the 1991 Census data.
7.2. With the completion of the creation of
these two databases, it was then possible to
generate thematic maps as well as produce spatial
data according to the requirements of users.
The Census Atlas, released in 1996, represented
one of the main products arising from the application
of GIS. The maps presented in the Census Atlas
covered a variety of topics namely population
size and composition, marital status, migration,
education, economic household and housing. These
maps were produced by the Arcview Version 2.1
GIS software on workstation using the inkjet
plotter.
7.3. Apart from the Census Atlas, the Department
has also found GIS to be extremely useful in
meeting the special needs of data users. In
this respect, GIS applications have been put
to good use in cases where data is required
to cover certain ad hoc areas by radiating from
a point or specified distance (band) away from
a selected feature. For example, the Department
has been able to meet requests speedily for
data on population, households, housing and
other related characteristics for areas within
a certain radius from given geographical locations
as specified by the data users. Population data
in terms of parliamentary constituencies have
also been generated using GIS.
7.4 An experimental project is currently in
progress, the ultimate aim of which is to produce
field enumeration maps in an automated fashion
using GIS for the forthcoming census. Under
this project, data in digital form with respect
to various layers such as transportation, hydrology,
vegetation, utilites and buildings obtained
form the Survey and Mapping Department will
be used to produce field maps. If found feasible,
the applicability of GIS technology in this
aspect of census mapping would greatly speed
up the delineation and production of field enumeration
maps. In addition, the maps produced would be
more accurate and of better quality since the
element of scale will be embedded in them; making
the identification of these boundaries on the
ground much more easier for the enumerator.
7.5. The GIS technology has also great potential
in the statistical delineation of built-up urban
areas in the forthcoming census. In 1991 Census,
enumeration blocks were identified on the field
as to whether they met the set criteria of being
possible urban areas and their eligibility for
inclusion as part of the urban areas was made
by visual inspection of base maps to see whether
the enumeration blocks were contiguous to the
gazetted area. It is envisaged that this tedious
task of handling maps would be replaced by on-screen
identification of which census enumeration blocks
possessing urban characteristics and being contiguous
to the gazetted area should be considered as
part of the built-up urban area.
8. IMPROVEMENT OF DEMOGRAPHIC
STATISTICS
8.1. Improvement of Vital
Statistics in Sabah and Sarawak
8.1.1. The coverage
of registration of births and deaths, on which
vital statistics are based, for the states of
Peninsular Malaysia is virtually complete. However,
the problem of under-registration of these vital
events still exists in the states of Sabah and
Sarawak. Realizing that a comprehensive solution
to the problem through strengthening of the
registration machinery is a long-term prospect,
the DOSM is continuing its efforts in exploring
alternative approaches to obtain more reliable
demographic information for the two states to
meet the immediate needs of users.
8.1.2. A number of studies were undertaken
in the 1980s with financial assistance from
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), to assess
the coverage of the registration system in the
two states. Currently, DOSM is involved in a
UNFPA-supported project on "Improving Demographic
bStatistics in Malaysia". The project has
the immediate objective of developing a methodology
for a system of household surveys aimed at collecting
reliable demographic data and estimating vital
rates for Sabah and Sarawak.
8.1.3. As part of the current
project, a national workshop was held on 28
November - 2 December 1994 to formulate
a design for test surveys to be implemented
in the two states. Besides DOSM and UNFPA representatives,
the workshop was also attended by representatives
from the National Registration Department, the
Ministry of Health and the Economic Planning
Unit.
8.1.4. As proposed in the workshop, the methodology
for developing a system of collecting reliable
vital statistics is based on the multi-round
household survey, with the use of the dual record
system. The DOSM, through its branch offices
in Sabah and Sarawak, conducted three rounds
of household surveys ith overlapping reference
periods while the Health Department was responsible
for undertaking the continuous registration
of births and deaths at the rural clinics. The
areas selected for the test surveys consist
of three Health Operational Areas (HOAs) in
three districts in Sabah and two HOAs in two
districts of Sarawak.
8.1.5. The three rounds of
household surveys consists of a baseline survey
and two follow-up surveys. During the baseline
survey in July 1995, field enumerators from
DOSM recorded the household composition at the
beginning of the reference period and births
and deaths during the previous 12 months. Two
follow-up surveys were carried out in December
1995 and July 1996 to provide updates on the
household composition and events of births and
deaths which occurred in the past 12 months.
The continuous registration of births and deaths
were carried out by the nurses in the selected
HOAs for the period from 1st July b1995 to
30th June 1996. The completed questionnaires
and records of births and deaths are currently
being processed by the DOSM branch offices in
Sabah and Sarawak. Information from the two
sources are subjected to both computerised and
manual matching to detect discrepancies, which
would ultimately produce more reliable data
on births and deaths.
8.1.6. A second workshop will be held as part
of the project in December 1996 to discuss the
findings of the test surveys and to further
assess the effectiveness of the methodology.
This will be followed by a meeting of a technical
group to discuss the feasibility and strategy
for full-scale implementation of the methodology
in the two states of Sabah and Sarawak.
8.2. Current Population
Estimates
8.2.1. Population estimates
by age, ethnic group and sex for Malaysia for
each reference year are currently produced in
three sets. The first is the population estimates
prepared based on natural increase as obtained
from birth and death certificates received for
a particular year. The second set is the preliminary
estimates also based on natural increase but
are produced for a current year using a model-based
approach. Finally, a third set of population
figures made available to users are produced
by projecting the components of fertility, mortality
and migration for a specific period and added
to the base population (1991).
8.2.2. Birth and death registration
certificates are despatched to DOSM from each
state registration department, usually on a
weekly basis. There has always been a time lapse
of at least one year following the reference
year for receipt and processing of certificates
to be completed and before the final population
estimates can be released. 8.2.3. In our effort
to provide users with timely population estimates,
two sets of methodology for obtaining preliminary
population estimates and projections by ethnic
group, age and sex were developed to produce
estimates at national and regional levels.
8.2.4. The preliminary population
figures obtained based on addition of natural
increase uses a method which utilises components
of births and deaths on the basis of ratios/relationships
of vital events for the first half to the second
half of previous years as well as on the basis
of partial counts for the current years (on
a quarterly basis). The number of births for
the first half of the reference year is the
preliminary count of births based on the certificates
received for the period. The live births for
the second half of the year are obtained through
regression based on a past series of relationship
of events for January to June over July to December.
8.2.5. For the population projections, the
estimation of births was derived by extrapolating
the total fertility rate, mean age of fertility
and modal age of fertility, while for the mortality
component, the life expectancies at birth are
projected using the Brass Logit System. Taking
the effect of migration into consideration,
the external migration is estimated based on
numbers of work permits issued and data from
the recent Labour Force Migration surveys. The
internal migration component is based on patterns
and levels observed in the previous censuses.
Population projections appeared in statistical
publications of the Department are consistent
with the numbers published in the latest Malaysian
Five-Year Plan document.
9. MICRO COMPUTER AND
COMPUTING BY STATISTICAL PERSONNEL
Micro computer and related softwares are widely
used by statistical personnel to perform such
tasks as data entry, word processing, data analysis,
sampling design, desktop publishing and data
presentation. This technology is also applied
to set up several computerised databases to
facilitate efficient storage and retrieval of
information. These include:
- a database of establishments
which serves as the sampling frame for economic
surveys. The system provides a convenient
means for updating the frame and selection
of sample establishments; and
- a geographical information
system, which is a cartographic database with
the 1991 Census Enumeration Block (EB) as
the lowest geographical level and frequency
counts for each EB. This system allows maps
to be stored in digital form and retrieved
as and when required, thus saving storage
space. It also facilitates updating of maps
directly into digital form, thereby reducing
the need to produce, store, retrieve and make
copies in paper form.
10. SAMPLING TECHNIQUES
10.1. Sampling techniques are now more widely
used in establishment and household surveys.
These include establishment surveys covering
the manufacturing, construction and distributive
trade sectors, as well as household surveys
on labour force, income and expenditure. Consideration
has been given to develop more efficient sampling
designs and to optimise the sample size for
these surveys. In this connection, the Department
has been adopting a more dynamic approach to
update the household survey frame prior to sample
selection. Growth areas are identified and a
quick count of living quarters is obtained from
the EBs involved. With the quicks counts as
updated size measures, and with the self-weighting
feature of the design, the sample size for household
can be maintained the desired level.
10.2. Due attention has also been given to
apply statistical techniques to improve the
efficiency of the sample design for establishment
surveys. These include:
10.2.1. improving the coverage of the establishment
survey frame;
10.2.2. stratification on the survey frame by
industry and size group; and 10.2.3. allocation
of overall sample to the sub-strata by Neyman
allocation technique.
11. TRAINING
The DOSM, in its endeavour
to develop and establish a trained and knowledgeable
workforce to meet current and future challenges,
has implemented several strategies towards this
objective. These strategies, which are outlined
in the Second Corporate Plan of the Department,
include setting up of a training unit in the
Department to undertake all matters pertaining
to training. In view of the great importance
placed on human resource development, a training
bcommittee, headed by the Chief Statistician,
was set up to oversee and provide policy direction
on the Department's training programme, particularly
on the aspects of identifying training needs
and evaluation of the effectiveness of the training
programme in achieving its objectives.
12. THE SPECIAL DATA
DISSEMINATION STANDARD
The Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS)
was established by the IMF to guide members
that have, or that might seek, access to international
capital markets in the provision of their economic
and financial data to the public. The standard
is expected to enhance the availability of timely
and comprehensive statistics and therefore contribute
to the pursuit of sound macroeconomics policies
and is also expected to contribute to the improved
functioning of financial markets.
12.1. The SDDS identifies
four dimensions of data dissemination as follows:
12.1.1. coverage, periodicity and timeliness
of the data;
12.1.2. access by the public;
12.1.3. integrity of the disseminated data;
and
12.1.4. quality of the disseminated data.
12.2. The Malaysian Index
of Data Categories
Periodicity/ Sector _ Agency Options
12.2.1. Real Sector
National Accounts DOSM Quarterly/Flexibility
option on timeliess Production indices DOSM
Monthly
Labour Market DOSM Quarterly/Transition period
- Employment - Unemployment
- Wages or earnings
Price indices DOSM Monthly - Consumer prices
- Producer prices
12.2.2. Fiscal Sector Ministry
of Quarterly/Transition Finance period
General government or public sector operations
Central government operations Central government
debt
12.2.3. Financial Sector Central
Bank Monthly Analytical accounts of the banking
sector
Analytical accounts of the central bank
Interest rates
Stock market: share price index
12.2.4. External Sector Balance
of payments DOSM Quarterly/Flexibility
option on timeliness
nternational Central Bank Monthly reserves
Merchandise trade DOSM Monthly
International DOSM Quarterly/Transition
Investment position period
Exchange rates Central Bank Monthly
12.2.5. Population DOSM Annual
13. CONCLUSION
The Department does anticipate that data users
will be more demanding in their requests for
future statistics. Accordingly, it will continue
to undertake creative and proactive measures
to effectively satisfy the anticipated demand.
8.11. For the population projections, the
estimation of births was derived by extrapolating
the total fertility rate, mean age of fertility
and modal age of fertility, while for the mortality
component, the life expectancies at birth are
projected using the Brass Logit System. Taking
the effect of migration into consideration,
the external migration is estimated based on
numbers of work permits issued and data from
the recent Labour Force Migration surveys. The
internal migration component is based on patterns
and levels observed in the previous censuses.
Population projections used in statistical publications
of the Department are consistent with the numbers
published in the latest Malaysian Five-year
Plan documents.
1. Mainframe Processing
As of present, the mainframe still play a
prominent role in the Department's daily processing
activity. The machine's power is appropriate
in processing the Department's applications
as most of data are voluminous in nature. Of
late, however, shortcomings of the mainframes,
particularly due to the nature of its batch-
based centralised processing environment where
the workflow requires system and the program
development with regard to additional request
has led to the Department to feel the pressure
of delivering outputs on time. This especially
true due to the country's rapid economic growth
as the demand for the Department's statistics
are increasing by manifold from other organisations
and the public.
2. Micro Computer Processing
DOSM is fully aware of the potentials that
the PCs can offer in complementing the mainframes
processing and also towards the Department's
work efficiency and effectiveness. In 1994,
the Department acquired 49 units of PCs (486
model) for the purpose of processing the Distributive
Trade system. In 1995, an additional 120 units
of Pentium PCs were bought and distributed throughout
the Divisions and State Branch Offices. The
acquisitions were part of the strategies in
the implementation of the Department's Corporate
Plan. One such strategy is to decentralise some
of its processing activities to the State Branch
Offices. The additional activities to be carried
out are that of data capture, data validation,
data analysis and data dissemination. Processing
will be PC-based. For this purpose the applications
were developed using Clipper/COBOL/Dbase4 and
structured as a menu-driven system comprising
the data capture, data validation, and preliminary
reports modules. Normally, a copy of the validated
data is then sent to HQ for downstream processing.
Following are the applications that are operational
in the Branch Offices:-
3. IT-PLAN
- Vital Statistics (Births
& Deaths)
- Consumer Price Index
- Labour Force Survey
- Distributive Trade (Listing
of Establishments)
- Registry of Economic Establishments
- Common Questionnaires
- Accounting System and right-sizing
of the mainframes.
Ultimately the whole of the Department would
be connected through LANs and WANs. DOSM is
expected to acquire the package for Phase 1
of its IT-Plan by the end of 1996. It consist
2 Local Area Networks (LAN), each physically
located at different sites and connected (via
a 128KB leased line. One unit LAN will be installed
in Industry Division of the Department, located
in an office complex together with the other
Division dealing with economic activities. The
LAN will be used mainly for the purpose of maintaining
a database of the Department'si iRegistry of
Economic Establishments. The application would
be fully running under the RDBMS tools and facilities
with on-line updating and The other LAN will
be installed in the Computer Service Division,
HQ for the purpose of Office Automation, R &
D, and for in-house development of future applications.
4. INTERNET
Presently, DOSM has
15 dial-up users in various Divisions of the
Department linked to the INTERNET. In addition,
each State Branch Office is also linked-up to
the INTERNET via the dial-up facilities. By
the end of 1996, with the acquisition of the
LAN in HQ, an INTERNET server will also be installed
which will have the leased-line facilities.
10. TRAINING
The DOSM, in its endeavor to develop and establish
a trained and knowledgeable workforce to meet
current and future challenges, has implemented
several strategies towards this objectives.
These strategies, which are outlined in the
second Corporate Plan of the Department, include
setting up of a training in the Department to
undertake all matters pertaining to training.
In view of the great importance placed on human
resource development, a Committee on Training,
headed by the Chief Statistician, was
set up to oversee and provide policy directions
on the Department's training programme, particularly
on the aspects of identifying training needs
and evaluation of the effectiveness of the training
programme in achieving its objectives.
4. IMPROVING QUALITY
AND TIMELINESS IN THE PROCESSING OF EXTERNAL
TRADE STATISTICS
4.1 Over the last three year period (1993 -
1995), Malaysia's external trade performance
continued to improve significantly. The export
sector expanded at an average rate of 21.4%
whilst the import sector grew at a much faster
rate of 24.4%.
4.2 Against this background, the Department
has been faced with an increasing demand for
quality and timely trade statistics from both
the public and private sectors of the economy.
Data are needed to monitor national trade performance,
the market share of total world trade as well
as the identification of priority products for
trade promotion, market studies and research.
4.3 With the encouraging growth of both the
import and export sector in recent years, there
has been a substantial increase in the number
of customs documents declared at the entry exit
points of the country. For instance, between
1993 and 1995, the receipt of customs declarations
at the Department for processing has increased
at an annual rate of 7.9%, from 7.2
million forms forms in 1993 to over
8.3 million forms in 1995.
4.4 Given that the collection of trade statistics
has reached a high level of international standardization
and realising that the country is still dependent
on traditional, manual, paperbased methods in
declaring their goods, the Government as early
as 1989 encouraged and initiated the use of
electronic data interchange (EDI) technology
for the clearance of cargo. Phase One of Trade*Net
System, covering the Klang Valley, has been
launched on a pilot basis since early 1994.
With this launch, tedious paperwork which in
undate the Department would be the thing of
the past. There would be speed of processing
and accuracy in reporting. Human resources could
now therefore be deployed to more important
functions. In short, there would be savings
in terms of paper, time, money whilst at the
same time it streamlines processes, heightens
efficiency as well as productivity.
4.5 An immediate spin-off from the implementation
of the Trade*Net System is the introduction
of 'front-end' checks and verification of data
prior to customs clearance. In addition, the
System facilitates on-line electronic transmission
of import/export transactions directly to the
processing unit of the Department, thereby reducing
significantly the time taken to physically move
the large number of declarations for processing.
In such an evironment, the Department would
only undertake minimum down-stream editing .and
processing activities, facilitating the speedy
generation of trade reports at more than half
the time that is currently taken to produce
these desired trade reports. It is envisaged
that there would be substantial time savings
in processing activities such as validation
of data, etc, since stringent check would have
already been incorporated at the intial stage
of data submission through the Trade*Net System.
Activities associated with 'batch processing'
of trade documents (sorting, batching and coding
of forms) could also be dispensed with, thereby
leading to the reduction of the large number
of staff engaged presently.
4.6 Phase One of the Trade*Net System called
the Port Klang Community System (PKCS) and Subang
Air Community System (SAAS) is already already
in operational mode since April 1996 at the
country's premier sea-port (Port Klang) and
airport (Klang) and airport (Subang). The Trade*Net
System, is based on the UN/EDIFACT messages
framework and links together electronically
many parties (government and non-government)
involved in the submission and clearance of
goods. These Systems have been interfaced with
the computerised Customs Information System
(SMK-Dagang*Net Interface) which was developed
by the Department of Royal Customs and Excise,
Malaysia. The primary objective of using EDI
in Malaysian Customs is to support increased
trade activities in the country.
4.7 The PKCS/SAAS projects are one of the
many trade facilitation initiatives that is
being carried out jointly by the Government
and the private sector to ensure that Malaysia
retains its competitive edge Systems have already
been planned and are at various stages of implementation
in the country. Under Phase Two of the Trade*Net
System, scheduled for operation by end 1998,
there would be full implementation of EDI technology
in the clearance of cargo nationwide.
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