Energy, Water and Communication Minister Dr Lim Keng Yaik has warned that the prepaid registration exercise that affects 18.7 million users will not be extended.

"Today is the last day for registration and I am surprised at the number," he was quoted as saying in Bernama yesterday.

"It is good news, 17.8 million subscribers had registered, which is equivalent to 90 percent of total prepaid customers nationwide," he said after officiating at the launch of Malaysia's Internet Exchange.

"The last 10 percent, which right now can only receive calls, will be given two weeks to register before their services are terminated," the minister added.

Figure to be revealed

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) announced that the official figure for the registration exercise would be released upon completion of the audit exercise

The commission said in a statement that the first round of audit will take place today to ensure that unregistered numbers were actually suspended.

"Come Dec 30, MCMC will conduct another audit to ensure that numbers which are still not registered following the 14-day suspension period are actually deactivated.

"This will be followed by a six-month review to ensure that the database is a correct reflection of prepaid users in Malaysia," it stated.