KUALA LUMPUR – After Sarawak minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah’s “naked” comments, Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan has called for Putrajaya to put the brakes on the implementation of the Central Database Hub (Padu).
Kitingan pointed to the “profound lack of trust”, which the federal government should address or reassess the system’s implementation.
He added that the government must ensure the public’s data in the system would be safe, as no system in the world was impenetrable.
“With over 65% of Malaysians having yet to register (with Padu), it shows that there is a profound issue of trust, or, the lack thereof.
“I (felt) uncomfortable with Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli’s remarks, which have been assertive and verging on coercion.
“It must be noted that the four-month window for the registration of approximately 20 million targeted Malaysians to the Padu system is quite alarming and at the same time, puzzling.
“What are the reasons behind this rush? Would it not open the system to potential repercussions on data accuracy and security? How prepared is the government to ensure the data will be managed and protected securely with the influx of personal data coming into the system in such a short time?” he asked in a statement today.
“Surely, a more measured and phased approach would be more prudent.”
In concurring with Karim’s view, Kitingan said Padu was the last thing that the government needed to introduce right now, having been the eighth-most breached nation in the world.
The Sabah leader said he did not see the necessity for Padu, or how it justified the extensive collection of personal data beyond what was traditionally required by agencies such as the Inland Revenue Board.
“The government must serve its citizens, not to delve unnecessarily into their private lives. The protection of individual privacy must be balanced against the benefits of data collection.
“Furthermore, who will be held responsible if one day, these data are used for other malicious purposes? Be it surveillance, political manipulation, or other forms of control by irresponsible parties. These are not my mere imaginations – there have been many precedents globally.
“If the federal government wishes to proceed with Padu anyway, I suggest the platform be modified extensively and improvised without making the people apprehensive.
“The proponents of this system should also consider the impact of their communication style. There is no need to threaten the people by saying that if they do not register, they will not get subsidies. That tactic is not going to convince the people or make them want to cooperate with you,” he said.
He also suggested that Padu populate its database using the existing databases already at its disposal.
“We, in Sabah, have endured too many bad memories of our data being misused in the past for unwarranted purposes. We do not want a repeat of that mistake.”
Karim, on March 22, likened citizens signing up for Padu to being stripped naked, seeing that the system required information including bank account numbers and housing loans. – March 25, 2024