This restriction is spelt out in a civil service rulebook, the Instruction Manual on public communications.

But a government-appointed panel wants the rule reviewed, saying the civil service has a talented pool of citizens who can comment on policy with insight.

The Advisory Council on the Impact of New Media on Society (Aims) made this recommendation in its final report to the Government.

'We can be proud of our civil service as a whole. They are efficient, they are knowledgeable,' said Aims chairman Cheong Yip Seng at a news conference on the report, released yesterday.

'Why should such a large segment of the population with that kind of background knowledge and understanding of policies be denied a public voice?'

Aims is suggesting that the Government find a way of tapping this expertise, he said.

Nine academics, government employees, consultants and designers who are passionate about new media had found each other on the Internet and sent feedback to Aims on this and other e-engagement themes recently.

In their submission, the group, who are in their 20s and 30s, pointed out that the personal perspectives of civil servants may be 'more pragmatic' than official sentiments.

They have no group name and are not the Bloggers 13 - which includes prominent bloggers such as Mr Alex Au of the Yawning Bread website - which also sent feedback to Aims.

Even if civil servants espouse views contrary to government positions, the group noted that they can have a positive, balanced effect on policy-making. This helps to 'reduce groupthink and tunnel vision', they added.

However, the group feels that civil servants should not comment on the policies of their own ministries or agencies.

Transport and bonded scholarships are issues that members have blogged about.

Former civil servant Coleman Yee, a member of the group, said: 'Civil servants are citizens as well. And every citizen has a role to play in shaping policy.'

Comments can be posted on blogs and online forums, for instance, or presented as podcasts and vodcasts.

The opinions do not have to be expli- citly political, added Mr Yee, a former educational technologist at Ngee Ann Polytechnic who now works at PebbleRoad, a design consultancy specialising in areas like intranet and websites.

In its report, Aims said the Government should embark on e-engagement.

This taps new media to form a sustained interactive relationship or 'conversation' between the Government and citizens on public policy.

'E-engagement should complement traditional forms of engaging and interacting with the public,' the report said.

LEE SIEW HUA