IPOH: Perak Barisan Nasional public service and complaints centre chief Mohd Rawi Abdullah has become a victim of identity misuse after someone allegedly used his lost MyKad to claim the RM100 one-off Sara cash assistance.
Rawi said at least three people had approached him regarding similar cases earlier and he told them to lodge police reports, as he was not sure if they were genuine.
He then discovered that he had also fallen victim, when he found that the Sara balance on his replacement MyKad was only RM2.70, even though he had yet to claim the one-off assistance.
"I lost my identity card about two weeks ago and lodged a police report while applying for a replacement.
"I thought the old card would be automatically cancelled in the system and no longer usable.
"But now it is clear that it was... misused, and this indicates serious gaps in the government’s deactivation and security processes," he told a press conference here on Monday (Oct 13).
The police report on the lost MyKad was lodged on Oct 7 at the Sg Senam police station.
He said MyKad misuse could lead not only to financial loss but also criminal liability, reputational damage, and credit risks for innocent holders.
Rawi urged the National Registration Department to conduct a full review of the card deactivation and replacement procedure to ensure that old cards are instantly cancelled.
This should also be reflected in all databases across government agencies and financial institutions in real time, he added.
"(What happened to me) shows that old identity cards are still recognised by some government systems, which signals a lack of real-time database coordination.
"I am also worried that the thief might misuse my MyKad to apply for personal loans and claim fuel subsidies, among others.
"I urge the public to immediately lodge police reports and inform relevant institutions such as banks, government agencies and telecommunications providers if their MyKad is lost.
"This is... about the safety of all Malaysians’ personal data, and I hope the authorities take this seriously and strengthen the system to prevent similar incidents," he said.
