KUALA LUMPUR – The government has assured that it will not misuse people’s personal data obtained through the Central Database Hub (Padu) system for campaigning purposes in the next general election.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the information provided in Padu was subject to terms and conditions and could not be arbitrarily misused for any other purposes.
“There are specific terms and conditions outlined in the Padu system; these can’t be misused.
“Even if there have been instances of abuse in the past, the current government is certain that it will not engage in such things.”
“Our approach to campaigning is different; we are committed to avoiding any abuse, and God willing, we will uphold this commitment,” he told reporters during a press conference after attending the Jualan Termurah Khidmat Demi Rakyat community sales programme in Pantai Dalam, here, today.
Fahmi said this in response to a recent statement by political activist Shahir Adnan, in which he expressed his hope that the collected data would not be utilised for political purposes to garner votes during the next federal polls.
Padu, which was launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar on Tuesday, is intended to serve as the primary reference for structuring and implementing programmes or policies aimed at promoting public well-being, as well as to ensure subsidies go to the targeted groups, Fahmi added.
Padu is a comprehensive government system containing profiles of individuals and households, encompassing citizens and permanent residents in the country.
“The system’s primary purpose is to assist individuals in need of subsidy and not for campaigning purposes.
Digital Economy Centres, or PEDi, as well as Residents’ Representative Councils will also be mobilised to help the public update their information in the system, said Fahmi, who also said there would be no registration through forms as it would create duplicated work.
“MPs are also urged to actively engage in mobilising resources within their respective constituencies to facilitate the Padu registration process,” he said.
After its launch, several concerns arose regarding Padu, one of which was a loophole in its system that allowed third parties to use identity card numbers to override passwords.
However, this issue has since been addressed and resolved.
Apart from that, Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) also raised concerns about potential abuse and data security as the government is exempted from liability under the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) 2010.
Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli defended Padu against LFL, which called for the suspension of the database until the PDPA was amended to remove the clause exempting the government from liability. – January 6, 2024