PUTRAJAYA – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today stressed that the people’s concerns with the implementation of the National Digital Identity, or Digital ID, such as personal and banking records being leaked and chips implanted into the bodies of individuals, are completely unfounded.
Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said that when discussing digital transformation, people must accept that the country must advance in line with current development, including the use of technology.
“What is there to be afraid of about personal issues? 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 bodies and so on. That is from watching too many Hollywood movies,” he told reporters after registering with the Digital ID here today, making him the first individual in the country to have a Digital ID.
The others who registered after Anwar were Deputy Prime Ministers Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also rural and regional development minister, and Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who is also plantation industries and commodities minister.
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 about the Digital ID, one should first listen to the explanations from the Science, Technology, and Innovation Ministry and the Communications and Digital Ministry in order not to affect the people’s confidence.
While stressing that the government will not force anyone to register with the Digital ID for the time being, Anwar encouraged all civil servants to do so because the Rahmah cash aid and all forms of targeted subsidies will be channelled through the Digital ID.
Digital ID is a digital form of individual identification and verification that will help the public and private sectors verify the identity of users when conducting online transactions.
Without replacing the MyKad system, Digital ID is a trusted and secure platform that facilitates online identity verification to prevent identity fraud when conducting online transactions. – December 1, 2023