As of March 18, only 5.4m Malaysians have updated their information in PADU 

by SHAUQI WAHAB 

AS THE deadline for registration with the Publicly Accessible Data Universe (PADU) approaches, the Malaysian government finds itself grappling with a significant shortfall in registrations. 

Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli, in a press conference held on March 18, expressed concerns over the low registration numbers and outlined the potential ramifications for government assistance programmes if the trend persists. 

“We have identified 4,752 locations in Malaysia that are not registered in any government data, putting them at risk of not receiving aid,” he added. 

Despite efforts to encourage registration, as of March 18, only 5.43 million Malaysians, accounting for less of 19% of the eligible population, have updated their information in PADU. 

Highlighting the urgency of the situation, Rafizi emphasised the need to reach out to these unregistered locations promptly. 

He announced plans to distribute information nationwide to ensure residents in these areas are aware of the registration deadline and encouraged them to register and update before March 31, 2024. 

“Our main focus within these last two weeks is to increase the registration number of individuals and households, especially on the locations that we identify as unregistered locations that are susceptible to be dropped out from receiving the aid,” he added. 

The data revealed by Rafizi concerning disparities across regions showed Lembah Klang, particularly Selangor, reflected the highest number of unregistered locations (1,282). 

Syarima Alia (left) and Nurin plan to register and update their details in PADU once the govt could assure the safety of their data (pic: SHAUQI WAHAB/TMR)

Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur (992), Sarawak (765) and Sabah (620) also exhibited significant gaps in registration. 

Looking ahead, he outlined plans to leverage PADU as a reference for launching government programmes and policies starting from March 31. 

While confident in the system’s capabilities to manage data discrepancies, he expressed concern over citizens at risk of dropping out due to non-registration in any government system. 

He highlighted the need for continuous updates to prevent issues such as outdated information, citing the example of 808 flat apartment residents in Selangor, consisting of the bottom 40% income group (B40) residents who have yet to register with PADU or previous government assistance programmes. 

He also said that they are planning to enhance data accuracy and accessibility after end of this month. 

“Our next phase is to build an application programming interface (API) so that all new updates in any government’s database are linked with PADU’s database,” he added. 

This integration aimed to streamline data updates and ensure real-time information for effective policymaking and service delivery. 

According to Nazrul Hazizi, it is very obvious that funding for marketing and awareness activities to promote PADU is lacking (source: Nazrul Hazizi’s LinkedIn)

Experts’ Insights on PADU’s Registration Dynamics

International Islamic University Malaysia’s (IIUM) Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance Assistant Prof Dr Nazrul Hazizi Noordin said despite the hiccups, there are certain benefits of PADU registration for both governmental bodies and citizens. 

“The benefits for the government are obvious: They can now use the data gathered through PADU to plan and allocate government assistance more effectively and equitably,” he told The Malaysian Reserve (TMR). 

However, Nazrul Hazizi highlighted the lack of tangible incentives for individual registrants, especially those in lower income brackets. 

“The benefits of registering for PADU are less apparent for Malaysians, especially those in the lowest income group. For them, registering with PADU simply means they will continue to receive assistance they were already entitled to,” he said. 

Nazrul Hazizi asserted that the low registration rates are fuelled by various factors including the short registration period and the prevailing “wait-and-see” attitude among citizens. 

Additionally, inadequate marketing efforts by the current government also contributed to the challenge. 

“It is very obvious that less money is spent on marketing and awareness activities to promote PADU,” he added. 

In response to these challenges, Nazrul Hazizi proposed a multi-faceted approach to increase registration rates. 

He suggested a phased implementation of PADU, prioritising data credibility through cross-validation mechanisms between ministries and agencies. 

Meanwhile, Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) senior research fellow Dr Shankaran Nambiar noted that individuals outside the B40 category may perceive little incentive to register with PADU, given their exclusion from potential aid recipients. 

“Other reasons for not registering include concern over data security, lack of access to IT, lack of familiarity with registration procedures and even indifference,” he said. 

Individuals who are not in the B40 category may lack motivation to register with PADU because they
are ineligible for aid, says Shankaran (Pic courtesy of Shankaran)

Data Security Concerns 

In today’s digital age, where scams are increasingly prevalent, both experts emphasised the lack of trust in PADU’s database security, which stores extensive personal data ranging from income details to personal information. 

Rafizi and his office have consistently defended the security of PADU database, asserting that no leaks have been detected thus far. 

“Data security remains a paramount concern, with doubts about governmental capabilities to manage and safeguard sensitive information internally,” Nazrul Hazizi said adding that data security and usage is important to build public trust. 

If this goes on, he warned that this will risk undermining public trust in the fairness and accuracy of incentive distribution. 

“With less than 30% registration nearing the deadline, reliance on PADU data for targeted subsidies becomes impractical,” he added. 

As for Shankaran, he pointed that the risk of programmes being less targeted or incorrectly targeted if deserving individuals fail to register. 

“If people who deserve to receive the government do not register, then the government cannot be faulted,” he noted. 

Shankaran emphasised the critical importance of addressing data security concerns associated with PADU. 

He underscored the need to mitigate these concerns for a better result. 

“I think this is an important issue that has to be addressed. Otherwise, what could be a good initiative will be marred by poor execution,” he said. 

Lack of Clarity and Assurance for Safety

For regular people on the ground, the concerns are real as pointed by the experts as it affected their lives the most should they rely on government benefits. 

Entrepreneur Nurin Elias said the discourse surrounding the PADU system prompts both reflection and concern with regular people receive scant information on the issue. 

“On one hand, the potential benefits of PADU registration, such as more effective government assistance allocation, seem promising,” she told TMR. 

However, she said that she did not see the appeal of updating her information because she already provided her information in other government systems previously. 

“I have not registered yet because I think the previous information is enough and up-to-date,” she added. 

Meanwhile, college student Syamira Alia Sabarudin said she realised the benefit of a comprehensive data to ensure government aids reach to those truly needed it. 

Yet, she said she has not yet registered because she lacks confidence in PADU’s data security. 

“I think I heard about MySejahtera’s data being leaked, so I am skeptical of any government’s apps or systems,” she said. 

When questioned by TMR about their plans to register and update their details in the PADU system, both individuals responded that they would only do so once the government could assure the safety of their data. 

On March 11, Rafizi boasted that PADU remains secure despite facing over two million hacking attempts every week. 

He said that these attacks occur in various forms, including Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) and breach attempts on the firewall since the system was launched on Jan 2. 

“I can state that PADU is still secure due to the swift actions taken by the system development team. 

“The government has also decided to implement geo-fencing, ensuring that only access within Malaysia can update PADU,” he said during the winding up debate on the motion of thanks for the Royal Address for the Ministry of Economy in the Dewan Rakyat. 

In order to get more registration, Rafizi said town hall sessions with the people would start immediately — with less than two weeks of the March 31 deadline. 

On March 23, Rafizi, alongside Selangor Mentri Besar (MB) Datuk Seri Amiruddin Shari, addressed the issue at hand. Their objective was to convene all local representatives involved, ensuring they were informed about the dropout risk. Additionally, they aimed to encourage these representatives to inform residents in their respective areas to register before the deadline. 

In addition to targeting unregistered locations, Rafizi also urged state governments to collaborate actively in increasing registration rates. 

The PADU database, covering approximately 30 million Malaysian households, aggregates data from diverse sources, such as existing government databases, surveys conducted by the statistics department and updated citizen information. 

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