KUALA LUMPUR – Barely hours after its launch, netizens have aired their grouses with the government’s Central Database Hub (Padu), which is aimed at establishing a primary national database.
About an hour after the system was made available to the public this afternoon, Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli tweeted that the issue of citizens not receiving their One Time Password (OTP) on their phones appears to be an issue faced solely by Celcom users.
Noting that subscribers of other mobile network operators are not facing such OTP issues, the minister said that the Padu team and the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) are working to address the problem.
However, several X users highlighted other issues with the database’s registration system, claiming that they are experiencing problems with the digital identity verification step part of the Padu registration process.
In response to Rafizi’s post, some said that despite multiple attempts to verify their identity by scanning the QR code provided on Padu’s website, they have been unable to proceed to the next section of their account registration.
Many users also complained about potentially missing out on the complimentary NFC-equipped Touch ‘n Go cards offered by Padu to the first 3,000 individuals to register with the system.
Nonetheless, other users who faced no issues with their registration and information updating process complimented Padu’s efficiency, with one user noting that it took him less than five minutes to register himself on the system.
Another user said that while the registration process was completed in a matter of minutes, high traffic on the website caused slight delays in loading the webpage.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim launched Padu, a system encompassing household and individual profiles that include both locals and permanent residents in Malaysia, at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre.
The system enables the production of more accurate data analytics, facilitates data-driven policy formulation and enhances decision-making processes while supporting targeted policy implementation to balance the nation’s fiscal position.
All citizens aged 18 and above must register, make data revisions, and verify 39 necessary details on Padu’s portal within three months of its launch. – January 2, 2024