Fahmi: MCMC's call data collection for stats, no personal info to be shared

Summary

• Telcos will not be handing over personal data, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil assures.

• He says MCMC's collection of mobile phone data is for detailed information for official statistics.

Telecommunications companies will not be handing over information containing personal data, the communications minister has confirmed, following concerns raised over personal data security.

Fahmi Fadzil explained that MCMC's move to collect mobile phone data is to obtain detailed information regarding service quality, service levels, and the number of users within specific sub-districts or districts.

"The instruction to submit data on phone calls was a cabinet decision.

"It is intended for the collection of data for official statistical knowledge. At present, much of the information available on the telecommunications sector is still too general,” Sinar Harian quoted him as saying at an Umno event in Lembah Pantai today.

On Friday, MCMC assured that no personally identifiable data is being shared for the collection of mobile phone data.

This followed a South China Morning Post report that the commission had ordered telcos to submit their mobile users’ call and internet usage logs for the first three months of this year.

MCMC said telcos can process the data within their own secure environment and submit the required anonymised and aggregated output to the MCMC, or submit anonymised data to the MCMC for processing.

For the tourism sector, the data is being used to generate indicators such as the number of visitors and domestic tourism trips, whereas for the information and communication technology sector, the information will produce granular statistics, it added.

Evidence-based policy planning

Commenting further, Fahmi said that the ministry had also begun shifting from providing information on the "coverage of public areas", which is a composite figure, towards data based on figures supplied by each telco.

“We want to ensure that with the data collected, more evidence-based policy planning can be carried out, which will benefit the people.

“I also understand that the telcos will be issuing a media statement, we will leave that to them,” he said.

He added that this came from a joint decision between MCMC and the telcos and also involved agencies such as the Statistics Department, through a series of workshops held since 2023.

In separate statements, U Mobile Sdn Bhd, CelcomDigi Bhd, Maxis Bhd, and Telekom Malaysia Bhd echoed the government’s clarification on no submission of personal information.

While U Mobile and Telekom Malaysia expressed their support for the MCMC initiative, all four companies assured that the submitted data would comply with national regulations.

Public concerns

Yesterday, Bersatu communications and new media chief Na’im Brundage questioned how the MCMC would process anonymised data collected from telcos, asking what privacy protection protocols, oversight, and auditing would be implemented to prevent data misuse.

He said data collection processes must follow clear consent from data owners, along with comprehensive public consultation and strict monitoring and auditing by independent bodies.

It was concerning how the public had learnt of the MCMC's move through media reports without any notification from the commission, he lamented.

Bersatu to MCMC: How would you process anonymised data from telcos?

Only anonymised data for mobile phone data collection - MCMC

Telcos ordered to submit users' call, internet logs - report