Going digital: Anwar registering for a Digital ID at the Perdana Putra building in Putrajaya. — Bernama
PUTRAJAYA: Concerns over the National Digital Identity or Digital ID, such as personal and banking records being leaked and chips implanted into the body of individuals, are completely unfounded, says the Prime Minister.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the Finance Minister, said that when talking about digital transformation, people must accept the fact that the country should advance in line with current developments.
“What personal issues are there to be afraid of? Bank Negara Malaysia will not release personal banking details. So, that is under control.
“Then, there are those who say that chips will be implanted into our body and so on, that is from watching too many Hollywood movies,” he told reporters after registering for a Digital ID here yesterday, making him the first person in the country to get a Digital ID.
Others who registered after Anwar were Deputy Prime Ministers Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also the Rural and Regional Development Minister, and Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who is also the Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister, Bernama reported.
Among the Cabinet members who also registered were Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil, and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali.
Anwar said that before making any comments, one should first listen to the explanations about the Digital ID from the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry and the Communications and Digital Ministry.
While stressing that the government won’t force anyone to register for the Digital ID for now, Anwar, however, encouraged all civil servants to do so as the Rahmah Cash Aid (STR) and all forms of targeted subsidies will be channelled through their Digital ID.
The Digital ID is a digital form of national identification and verification of individuals that will benefit the public and private sectors in verifying the identity of users when carrying out online transactions, according to the government.
Without replacing the MyKad system, it will be a trusted and secure platform that also facilitates online identity verification to prevent identity fraud when carrying out online transactions, it said.
