Digitalisation also enables better resource allocation, data-driven decision-making and improve transparency 

by NURUL SUHAIDI 

MALAYSIA’S public sector and government services have embarked on a digital transformation journey, which aims to improve efficiency and enhance the citizen experience in a dynamic and increasingly digital world. 

The country’s efforts have been led by the implementation of individual mobile apps for government services, which allow citizens to access services from the comfort of their homes. 

In February this year, Malaysia’s Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced the migration to a digital system for transportation and road-related services through the latest MyJPJ app. MyJPJ is an app developed by the country’s Road Transport Department (JPJ), which allows users to perform various functions related to transportation and road services. 

Since its launch, MyJPJ has been downloaded by nearly three million users, according to JPJ DG Datuk Zailani Hashim. 

The introduction of the MyJPJ app is a significant step towards improving the quality of services provided by the public sector in Malaysia as it allows citizens to access government services quickly, conveniently and safely — from the comfort of their homes — reducing the need for in-person visits to government offices. 

Many players are in support of the move and believe embracing e-governance will not only offer convenience but also enables better resource allocation, data-driven decision-making, improved transparency and many other benefits. 

One of the largest national app services, MyEG Services Bhd, opined that apart from the convenience aspect, e-governance can also streamline government processes and reduce paperwork. 

MyEG Services MD TS Wong said digitalisation also reduces corruption and increases public trust in the government. 

“Governments can also save costs in various ways such as reducing the need for physical infrastructure, paper and staff. This can free up resources to be used in other important areas such as education, healthcare and social welfare,” he told The Malaysian Reserve (TMR) in an interview. 

Meanwhile, Pertama Digital Bhd Group CEO Saify Akhtar said while the transformation is critical to cater to the rapidly evolving needs, the digital transition in the government sector should be exciting and ambitious. 

“As citizens are increasingly spoiled by exceptional digital experiences funded by billions of venture capital dollars, governments must catch up quickly to meet their expectations,” he said. 

Pertama Digital — an entity championing digitalisation in public service — said it fully supports the Malaysian government’s move towards digitalisation, including the recent launch of the MyJPJ app. 

“We believe that such initiatives are essential in meeting the evolving expectations of citizens, who are increasingly reliant on digital services for convenience and efficiency. 

“The transition is necessary to keep up with global trends and to streamline government services for the benefit of the public,” Saify added. 

Pertama Digital also developed a unified platform called MyPay —launched in 2019 — which is gaining traction as a single, secure app for government services. 

Digital transformation is a best practice, but it also introduces new cybersecurity challenges, as it involves vast public data and security. 

Data Leak Concerns 

Data leaks are becoming a growing concern in line with our increasing digital dependence, therefore the organisation in a high-trust environment couldn’t afford a project failure, downtime or security breaches. 

Last year, the personal data of 22.5 million Malaysian citizens ranging from their full names to ID numbers, home addresses, phone numbers and ID photos, were allegedly stolen and sold on the dark web for US$10,000 (RM43,975). 

Responding to cyber security in public service, Trend Micro Malaysia and Nascent Countries MD Goh Chee Hoh said any introduction of new apps will open additional avenues for attack and always at the risk of breaches happening. 

“For any organisation — be it in the government sector or not — it is challenging to promise 100% immunity from data breaches. 

“However, with the right safeguards and security measures in place, data breaches and leaks can definitely be avoided,” he told TMR. 

Goh added that the foundational security element for such services is always-on authentication. 

Today, there are more well-rounded methods to facilitate authentication, ranging from facial recognition or verification to multi-user SMS two-factor authentication. 

These must be backed by encryption technologies and security safeguards for adequate protection. 

According to him, another core element is to ensure compliance with local data protection regulations and requirements to preserve data privacy. 

Under Malaysia’s Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), users have a say in the access, consent, processing and use of their personal data. 

“In addition, those who manage personal data are required to be registered under a system before granting access and must exercise confidentiality of the personal data. Ensuring compliance helps to build trust among users that their personal data is being adequately protected,” Goh added. 

Chances are — if you are a victim of a data leak, all your sensitive personal information is revealed including the contact details, usernames and passwords to financial information. 

Aside from compromising your privacy, a criminal can take advantage of identity theft to engage in all types of fraud. 

Despite the concern, this should not deter the government from pursuing its digital transformation agenda, and robust and encrypted data security measures need to be in place to safeguard citizen data security. There are benefits to both approaches — having one central app or multiple apps to provide individual services.

“For instance, one central app minimises the need for users to create accounts or input data across multiple platforms, thereby offering convenience by accessing a single app for all their needs,” Goh said. 

Multiple or Unified App 

Meanwhile, having multiple apps allows users to have a more focused user experience, with opportunities to increase user engagement and offer extended functionalities. 

When it comes to security, Goh admitted it is challenging to ascertain which of the two approaches would be more secure or susceptible to threats. 

“At the end of the day, there are risks attached to both approaches. For instance, if a breach were to take place in a central app, this might disrupt the use of all services provided by the app,” he said. 

Whereas, in the case of multiple apps, a breach in one may not disrupt the use of other apps, allowing users to still access some services. 

“At the same time, however, if a cybercriminal gains access to personal data or login credentials from one app, they may use it to access other apps,” Goh added. 

Echoing a similar point, Saify reckons that cyber threats exist regardless of whether services are offered through individual apps or a centralised platform. 

Most important is to ensure robust security measures are in place to protect users’ personal data and maintain their trust in government services. 

“Once trust is lost with citizens, it becomes increasingly difficult to promote digital government adoption, making cyber security a top priority,” Saify commented. 

With multiple apps and more services being provided now, agencies must better prepare and need to manage the increasing complexity associated with security, data privacy, compliance and more to avoid privacy and data being compromised by hackers. 

To that end, Goh suggested that the platform-based security infrastructure will be best suited, especially as the availability of services, apps and offerings increases. 

“A unified cyber security platform will help agencies to better manage, understand and prioritise risks, and subsequently apply the right security at the right time to mitigate them,” he added. 

Having pioneered a central app for public usage, Wong promoted the use of Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) and Verifiable Credentials (VCs) based on its blockchain platform, Zetrix, as implemented by MyEG. 

All in all, Wong believes that the growth for e-governance and increasing demand for cyber security will amplify the need for blockchain technology such as Web 3 — which is built on decentralised or distributed blockchain technology — and enables trustless, secure and transparent transactions without the need for intermediaries. 

However, Goh stated that cybercriminals are constantly searching for ways to gain access to and exploit personal data regardless of the number of apps. 

Hence, he said public service agencies should focus on having the right security strategies and ecosystem in place. 

“It is important for the government to keep an open mind about embracing technology and the benefits that it can deliver — from efficiency, more user-friendly services and — in the bigger picture — greater competitiveness. 

“This openness is crucial to ensuring a smoother transition to becoming digital,” Goh added. 

Similarly, Saify added that in addition to implementing multi-factor authentication, end-to-end encryption, and continuous monitoring of potential threats, it is essential to focus on helping all citizens — especially the digitally and financially excluded — become savvier in the digital space. 

“Enhancing cyber security is not just about technology; it also involves education and awareness to empower citizens in using digital services safely and effectively,” Saify concluded. 

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• This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition