KUALA LUMPUR: The implementation of the new-generation MyKad is expected to cost the government about RM120mil a year, based on an estimated issuance of three million cards annually.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the project would be carried out under a pay-per-issue procurement contract.
Under this contract, the government only pays for cards successfully issued to applicants.
“The payment rate is fixed at RM40 per card. Based on an estimated production of three million cards a year, the implementation cost is estimated at around RM120mil annually,” he said in a written parliamentary reply on Tuesday (June 23).
However, he said the actual expenditure would depend on the number of cards issued in any given year.
Saifuddin said the government has no plans to mandate a blanket replacement of existing MyKad holders, stressing that current identity cards remain valid and can continue to be used.
Instead, the rollout of the new-generation MyKad will be carried out in phases and limited to specific categories of applicants.
These include first-time applications by Malaysian citizens reaching the age of 12, as well as replacement applications involving holders of Plastic Identity Cards (KPP), High-Quality Identity Cards (KPT) and Version 1 MyKad cards that do not carry the ghost-image security feature.
He added that the government was committed to ensuring the initiative does not impose an additional financial burden on the public.
“The fee charged to applicants remains at RM10 for processing purposes, with no increase arising from the introduction of the new-generation MyKad,” he said.
Saifuddin said the Home Ministry and the National Registration Department would continue to implement the programme prudently and in stages.
The rollout will take into account the interests and financial capacity of the rakyat, he added.
He was responding to a question from Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias (Barisan Nasional-Jelebu) who asked about the overall cost of implementing the new-generation MyKad.
Jalaluddin also asked whether the government planned to require phased replacement of existing cards and the cost implications for the public.
