Do we really need a digital ID?

I REMEMBER when I saw my first ATM machine decades ago at a shopping centre in Kuala Lumpur.

The first question that came to mind was, “What is this?”

It was the 1980s and there was a wave of technology that was slowly integrating its way into our analogue, paper-centric lives.

The hesitancy in embracing such innovations was eventually overcome, though not without encountering new hurdles, like online banking. Again, people questioned the trustworthiness of online transactions.

It wasn’t until I saw my car on a tow truck due to illegal parking to make a quick run into a bank branch that I realised it was easier, faster and, of course, cheaper, after paying the fine, to use online banking.

The evolution of technology has transformed our daily lives, making digital solutions increasingly unavoidable. It’s become impossible to escape the clutches of technology, which offers faster, more efficient and safer ways to conduct business.

But the question for some, including Generation-Xers like me, is whether it is worthwhile giving up some degree of anonymity in a digital transactional world?

This question is being asked because Malaysians are close to seeing the mandated use of a MyDigital ID to access the MyJPJ app.

Fortunately, common sense prevailed and the transport minister decided against the use of the digital identification (ID) to use the app.

This episode highlights broader anxieties surrounding the rapid digitisation of services and its implications for privacy and security in our lives. As we navigate this new landscape, it’s crucial to weigh the benefits against potential risks, particularly as digital identities become increasingly more central to our everyday transactions.

It also brings back memories of when the administration wanted to introduce a government-approved email address for Malaysians to use. We know how that turned out.

Increasingly, countries are rolling out digital IDs, which are being met with both resistance and acceptance.

Is this apprehension similar to the hesitance towards ATMs or online banking in the past? What will the balance be for Malaysians?

When it comes to MyDigital ID, the registration to use the MyJPJ app was forewarned much earlier.

According to a report, financial institutions, insurance companies and e-wallet providers will integrate MyDigital ID starting in May as a solution for eKYC (electronic know-your-customer) and transaction authorisation.

The same report says there is hope that the MyDigital ID will be utilised in cross-border transactions in the future, while serving as a model for other countries in implementing their own digital identification systems.

Malaysians, probably more than any other nationalities, know of the dangers of scams. Reports of people being swindled of their savings appear far too often for us to be comfortable with.

It was Malaysia that led the way for chips to be incorporated into credit cards, moving away from magnetic strips that were easily taken advantage by crooks. This was a welcomed security feature which saw virtually no resistance from users.

Ultimately, financial safety is a priority for everyone.

But for the MyDigital ID to be used in banking services is something most people are not comfortable with. After all, the use of various security features – such as stronger passwords, two-factor authorisation and even face ID – is for now quite sufficient for many Malaysians.

One wonders if the intrusive and overarching monitoring of a single digital ID is something we want in our lives. There are countries moving towards a digital and cashless world, such as China, but there are also stories coming out of these nations that make people pause.

Will we truly welcome digital IDs and even social credit scores? And will our data really be safer in a centralised system?

Despite the assurances that it can be, Malaysians are wary. Reports of scammers buying our personal data online despite laws supposedly “preventing” such occurrences make us pause and wonder.

It has also been reported that so many scammers have our personal information that the price for our data is in the bargain bin on the dark web!

Another worry is government overreach. If people are forced to use a single digital ID to utilise both government and private online services, then surely the online history can be tracked.

Governments will be able to monitor what we are saying and doing in the digital world, and such information can be used against anyone, regardless of the technology’s original intent.

For Malaysians, we already have our identification card (IC) and number that have served us well so far in accessing both government and private online services. So why replace the IC with a digital ID?

After all, we have successfully used the simple and widely accepted IC for eKYC purposes up till now, and many people see no need for that to be replaced by a new digital ID, especially given ongoing concerns about privacy and security.