MODERN life has become a bewildering clutter of identification (ID) numbers and other passwords.
But for about 385,000 companies and other organisations here, relief is at hand from this tyranny of having to recall multiple ID numbers.
Starting next year, Singapore-registered entities will need just one ID number when dealing with the various government agencies.
This will streamline the way Singapore businesses and other organisations deal with government agencies. Currently, each agency requires a different ID number.
The new Unique Entity Number (UEN) system will provide greater convenience to organisations dealing with the Government, said Ministry of Finance director Phoon Chew Ping yesterday.
The system will be similar to the way that Singapore citizens use their identity card number.
Entities that will benefit include businesses, companies, partnerships, societies, representative offices and trade unions.
The system will also improve the efficiency of various government departments in their dealings with these organisations, Ms Phoon said.
Currently a typical trading firm, for instance, might have to recall four ID numbers.
It would update its corporate information via the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority's (Acra) business or company registration number using one ID number.
It would need another number when dealing with Singapore Customs for import or export matters. At tax time, the firm would need to fish out yet another number when dealing with the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore.
Then one more ID number is required when submitting employee contributions to the Central Provident Fund Board.
The UEN system will provide an organisation with a single, unique number.
This number will be its identity for both over-the- counter and online dealings with the Government.
For logistics firm TNT Express Worldwide, this change cannot come fast enough.
The UEN, which will replace "at least three to four numbers", said TNT's customs and support manager Alex Seah, "will make it simpler and more efficient for us in our transactions with the Government".
Singapore Business Federation chief executive officer Teng Theng Dar also cheered the initiative.
The new identifiers, he said, will "simplify and reduce possible errors caused by the use of multiple numbers, thus speeding up transactions...and enable companies to manage their time more productively ? and to them, time is money".
About 85 per cent of the 385,000 Singapore-registered entities here, comprising 190,000 local companies and 140,000 businesses, will use their current Acra number as the UEN.
The other 55,000, comprising schools, trade unions, cooperative societies, managing corporations, limited-liability partnerships, representative offices, embassies and other entities, will be issued a new UEN by post within the next three months.
Starting next January, 12 government agencies that have the most interaction with these 385,000 entities will discontinue the use of their existing numbers and switch to the use of the UEN. The other agencies will make the switch by July.
This article was first published in The Straits Times on Aug 7, 2008.
