The launch of Malaysia’s Central Database Hub (PADU) has taken centerstage in the local news recently.

The rakyat are encouraged to register for PADU and update their personal information. However, when one attempts to do just that, one would find that PADU is devoid of personal information, which means it is not an exercise of verification and update, but an exercise in data entry!

And therein lies the perennial problem with government systems such as PADU.

The rakyat are burdened with the responsibility of entering sensitive personal data, such as full names and NRIC numbers (available from the National Registration Department), as well as financial details like commitments, income, and interest from savings and dividends (available from the Inland Revenue Board).

But perhaps obtaining such confidential information directly from the rakyat is a more prudent approach.

However, information is a two-way street and so one must also ask what exactly is the purpose of PADU.

The PADU website states that its objectives are to prepare a central database hub for the country to generate scheduled analytics and digitalization for better decision and policy-making based on data, which will balance the fiscal position through targeted policies.

The goal of PADU is stated to be: to increase the efficiency of providing government services, to solidify the use of limited resources, to strengthen the socioeconomic dynamics of the rakyat, to bridge the socioeconomic gap, and to balance development.

How exactly will this be done? For example, Minister of Economy Rafizi Ramli has said that the RON95 subsidy would be replaced with a targeted subsidy program sometime in the second half of 2024 (The Star, 27 November 2023).

Does this mean that we can expect petrol prices to increase in the second half of 2024, with subsidies debited into the accounts of those who are eligible?

And what if someone is less than honest in filling up the information in PADU, so that they can continue to enjoy government subsidies and benefits?

Will there be any penalty? Who will check and verify these details?

Also, what are the other benefits of registering with PADU? Does this mean that the government will no longer carry out the traditional census survey for statistical information?

Worse, does this mean that the statistical information that we have on the socioeconomic landscape of Malaysia today is inaccurate?

What if one’s financial commitments and income change? Does one have to update one’s information with PADU every time there is a change? What are the repercussions if this is not done?

Then, there is also the issue of data privacy and security.

The Personal Data Protection Act 2010 does not apply to the government. However, Minister Rafizi Ramli has assured us that PADU is developed and will be managed by civil servants who are bound by the Official Secrets Act 1972 (The Star, 4 January 2024).

Does this mean that the entire PADU database is an official secret accessible only to civil servants?

Malaysia has about 1.62 million civil servants (The Star, 31 August 2022), which means that in a population of about 33 million, there is one civil servant for every 21 people.

How secure is our most personal information? If only certain civil servants have access to this database, who are they?

This is a genuine concern because on the other hand, the other local news plaguing our nation today is how Malaysians are susceptible to scams.

The news has been replete with the types of scams utilized, that include people impersonating Inland Revenue Board officers, police officers, court officers, customs officers, bank officers and even postal officers.

These scammers have personal information such as NRIC and bank account numbers, which begs the question where are these information coming from?

In any event, it would be near impossible to conclusively prove in a court of law who leaked or sold personal information that ended up in the hands of unscrupulous scammers.

In summary, my reservations about PADU are: first, the government has at its disposal all the necessary information it already needs from the rakyat through, among others, the National Registration Department, the Inland Revenue Board, as well as recently through MySejahtera.

Second, what are the exact benefits of PADU – how will the government ensure a fair and equitable distribution of subsidies and benefits to those truly in need, given the fact untrue information may be given?

What actions, if any, can the government take against those providing false information in order to enjoy subsidies and benefits?

Third, what safeguards are in place to ensure the utmost security of the rakyat’s sensitive personal information stored in PADU?

In the unfortunate event of a data breach, what steps will the government take to address and rectify the situation, and what are the consequences for the persons responsible for such breach?

Whilst it is acknowledged that the intention behind PADU is good and is meant to help the rakyat, the rakyat are also surely entitled to more detailed information as to how PADU actually works, before we are asked for personal sensitive information.

Otherwise, PADU may be viewed as an attempt at state surveillance and an invasion of privacy, which will mar the good intentions it was built for in the first place.

(Dr. Sheila Ramalingam is Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Universiti Malaya.)