Tricubes Bhd, which has been appointed by the government to spearhead the myemail Entry Point Project, to be launched in July is negotiating with several government agencies to come on board as clients.

'As of today, no agencies have signed up. We are in discussions with a few, we are talking to one which is our existing customer and we hope to secure a few customers by year-end,' said Chief Executive Khairun Zainal Mokhtar.

The 1Malaysia Email Project, a private finance initiative, was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as one of the seven new projects under the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP).

The myemail, a voluntary basis sign-up, is for every Malaysian aged 18 and above to have access to a single secured communication channel to e-Government services including income tax assessment and summons notices.

The cost of the e-mail will be less than 50 sen each and it will be borne by the sender.

'If I was the post office, I've, already secured the mail and you will get it, but if you want additional security like encrypt the document, then there will be additional charges the user has to pay.

'However, it's a choice whether they want to get a regular confidential and secured mail with a 50 sen charge or they want it to be encrypted. Every single mail will be charged,' he said.

The mail delivery service, offered through the myemail project, will likely offer payment services over the progression of the project.

Replying to a question whether the government would ensure all government agencies would subscribe to the service since it was a government-initiated project, Khairun said: 'I think that question should be directed to the government agencies and I think we hold it to that.

'The government's role is clearly identified as a facilitator.'

Tricubes, which will be investing about RM50 million in the government-initiated project over the next 10 years, has secured RM5.3 million in initial funding from Malaysia Venture Capital Management Bhd (Mavcap) in the form of convertible securities.

'The balance will be funded through other means of financing; rights issuance; either equity; or debts.

'We have our sponsor MandA Securities Sdn Bhd and we also have a new corporate finance person who has put together a plan for that,' he said.

The GN3-status company has targeted 5.4 million subscribers for the myemail project by year-end and aims to achieve the target via advertising, marketing and other channels of creating awareness.

Tricubes has achieved its first milestone in its regularisation plan set by Bursa Malaysia with the appointment of its sponsor, MandA Securities, in January this year.-- Bernama