‘Why the aggressive push on Padu registration?’

KOTA KINABALU: Leaders from Sabah and Sarawak have persisted in voicing their concerns over data security and privacy of the Central Database Hub (Padu).

Among them is Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, who joined the chorus of people who had reservations about it.

He said he was “deeply concerned” by the Federal Government’s push for the public to register with Padu.

He contended that the March 31 deadline for the registration of about 20 million targeted Malaysians was “alarming” and “puzzling” as well.

“What is the reason for this rush?

“Would it not open the system to potential repercussions on data accuracy and security?

“How prepared is the government to ensure the data will be managed and protected securely with the influx of personal data coming into the system in such a short time?” he asked in a statement yesterday.

Padu, which was launched on Jan 2, is aimed at getting more accurate data for policy formulation and data-driven decision-making processes.

Malaysians aged 18 and above have been urged to register with Padu as well as update and verify 39 items related to personal information.

According to the Department of Statistics, there have been about 7.36 million registrations as of Saturday.

This is about 35% of the estimated 20 million Malaysian citizens in the target group.

Kitingan said the fact that 65% of Malaysians had yet to register showed there was a deep issue of trust.

“Could it be because of the intrusive nature of the data required by Padu?

“How is this relevant to my eligibility for subsidies?” he questioned. He then asked about actions that could be taken if the data was leaked.

“As the eighth most breached nation in the world, I think Padu is the last thing that the government needs to introduce right now,” Kitingan said.

(Last year, a cybersecurity company ranked Malaysia as the eighth most breached country in the third quarter of 2023.)

He said he concurred with Sarawak Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah last week that there was no difference between Padu and existing systems like e-Kasih or Rahmah Cash Aid.

“I do not see the necessity of Padu or how it justifies the extensive collection of personal data beyond what is required by agencies such as the Inland Revenue Board or welfare systems.

“The government’s duty is to serve its citizens, not to delve unnecessarily into their private lives,” he said.

He said the proponents of this system should also consider the impact of their communication style, pointing out there was no need to “threaten” the people by saying that if they do not register, they will not get subsidies.

“I would suggest that Padu populate their database using the existing databases already at their disposal.

“In fact, I believe that all this data should be managed by the respective states. In Sabah, we have had our data misused in the past.

“We do not want a repeat of that mistake,” Kitingan said.

In KUCHING, state Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Office Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali said Sarawak is seeking an explanation from the Economy Ministry to address concerns on data security and privacy.

In principle, she said the state government supported the Federal Government’s intention to ensure that government resources to assist Malaysians were channelled effectively through Padu.

“To determine the targeted subsidies, information on economic and financial standing is important, but not to the extent of disclosing or exposing their personal and private profiles, which are not necessary in determining the eligibility of the targeted recipients,” she said in a statement yesterday.

Sharifah Hasidah said the security concerns were valid as data breaches, leaks and scams are rampant nowadays.

She stated that the highest level of security and data protection would be required when consolidating Malaysians’ personal data into a single central database.

“Thus, clarifications from the Economy Ministry regarding (Padu’s) security implementation and protocols are pertinent in order for the Sarawak government to fully support the Federal Government’s initiative, as it also needs to protect Sarawakians’ interests,” she said.

She said there were legitimate concerns about the sharing of personal data and information due to limited legislation on data privacy and protection.

A memo from the Sri Aman Resident asking district and administrative officers to halt Padu registrations in the division until further notice was widely circulated on social media. (A Resident is the head of an administrative division in Sarawak.)