Putrajaya mulls law to make MyDigital ID registration mandatory

Summary 

• Putrajaya is considering enacting a law to make MyDigital ID registration mandatory, citing constraints in securing more users with the voluntary sign-up approach.

• Malaysians remain concerned over privacy and potential data misuse under the digital ID system.

• MyDigital ID is now integrated with 35 government systems, with further expansions planned to increase user uptake.

PARLIAMENT | Putrajaya is weighing the possibility of legally requiring citizens to register for the government’s MyDigital ID initiative.

Addressing the Dewan Rakyat today, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa (Harapan-Sekijang) admitted that there are certain “restrictions” faced by the government in its push to encourage uptake for the digital identification platform. 

One such challenge, the PKR MP said, is the fact that registrations are currently voluntary, with no law specifically mandating the use of the platform. 

“The government is looking at the possibility of enacting, perhaps, an Act, that would encourage or make it compulsory for citizens to register (for MyDigital ID),” Zaliha said when answering a question from Bersatu MP Ronald Kiandee (PN-Beluran). 

The opposition lawmaker had queried whether the government would consider the rakyat’s concerns over its digital initiatives, particularly worries regarding data safety and privacy, as well as the reliability of such digital infrastructures and the involvement of private companies. 

Malaysians have consistently voiced concerns over MyDigital ID, especially on the potential for government overreach, with some questioning whether centralising personal information under a single digital identity could expose users to data breaches or misuse.

Such anxieties are made even more acute given past incidents of data leaks or safety threats involving government-linked platforms.

One-stop platform

MyDigital ID is marketed as a single-sign-on platform that can be used to verify the identity of its users and log them into various online services, particularly those related to government departments.

In November 2023, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced an RM80 million allocation for the national research centre, Mimons Bhd, to expedite the implementation of the platform under MyDigital ID Sdn Bhd.

In December last year, Anwar voiced disappointment over the delay in executing two national digital initiatives, namely MyDigital ID and the second 5G network. 

While the prime minister had then considered the MyDigital ID implementation to be “late” because only 1.319 million Malaysians had registered in its database, Zaliha said today that the figure has gone up slightly to 2.8 million as of the second quarter of this year. 

She added that the number is expected to continue rising with the expansion of “use-cases”, which refers to specific applications or services where MyDigital ID is used as a method of identity verification.

“The more ‘use-cases’ for MyDigital ID are introduced in government or private sector systems and services, the higher the need for users to register for MyDigital ID. 

“This is because each new use case creates a need for digital identity verification, which in turn drives up registration among the public,” the minister said.

She noted that as of now, MyDigital ID has integrated with 35 government application systems, with another 17 in the implementation phase and 21 in early discussions. 

Additionally, seven non-government application systems have successfully undergone integration, with two more in the process. 

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