Last week, MyDigital ID posted on social media saying users must renew their digital ID annually, as it expires one year after registration. — ANGELIN YEOH/The Star
PETALING JAYA: Amid concerns over the yearly renewal requirement for MyDigital ID, an expert emphasises the need for clearer communication.
"From a consumer perspective, if you provide a solid justification, then I feel that people would be okay. You can say it’s needed because it helps to ensure the security of your data on the platform from time to time," said Siraj Jalil, president of the Malaysia Cyber Consumer Association (MCCA).
“The problem is how Mimos (the agency implementing the MyDigital ID initiative) doesn't address concerns right away and communicate to the people more effectively. I’ve seen this issue among other government agencies as well, which is why misinformation surrounding certain initiatives thrives on social media,” he said.
Last week, MyDigital ID posted on social media saying users must renew their digital ID annually, as it expires one year after registration. Renewals can be done through the app or at a kiosk. In an FAQ on its website, it said this was “one of the safety measures”.
However, users were dismayed by the inconvenience of having to renew their MyDigital ID annually, with many describing the requirement as troublesome and questioning the necessity of frequent renewals.
When the MyDigital ID initiative was announced last year, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said Mimos had set a target of 10 million sign-ups in the first quarter of 2024.
However, it was recently revealed that MyDigital ID currently has only around 1.3 million sign-ups, prompting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to express his concern over the slow progress of the rollout at the Finance Ministry's monthly assembly on Dec 4.
“If the PM is frustrated, imagine how the rakyat feels. The agency should provide an answer to the public, as I feel that we are one of the stakeholders as well,” he said.
In October, when users rushed to register for MyDigital ID to keep using the MyJPJ app, Siraj said that the MyDigital ID system did not perform well in managing the surge in new registrations.
“Users were frustrated because they kept getting error messages and gave up registering after Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced users can continue logging into the MyJPJ app as usual (without MyDigital ID),” he said.
Siraj said the registration process has to be improved, asking, “If they can’t handle hundreds of users at the time, how are they going to convince millions to sign up?”.
He said users are sceptical about its benefits, highlighting another area that Mimos needs to address.
“Get to the ground. Reach out to more older users on the benefits of the MyDigital ID and why it’s necessary for this era. Tell them that it would help to ease access to all government services, and even private sectors like banks are expected to adopt the MyDigital ID as a sign-on process,” he said.
The MyDigital ID initiative, implemented by Mimos under the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry, was first announced by Anwar in November last year. He said that digital transformation will be centred on the MyDigital ID, and the government is expected to enhance its functionality and user experience.
