KUALA LUMPUR: Only 1,367,324 people have registered for the Central Database Hub (Padu) as of yesterday, indicating substantial scepticism among the public regarding the government's initiative.
This registration figure accounts for approximately 4.7 per cent of Malaysians aged 18 and above, while the system targets enrollment from around 29.8 million people.
As per the latest updates from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), only five states have surpassed 100,000 registrations after 20 days since the Padu system launch.
These include Selangor with 262,677 registrants, Sarawak (164,179), Johor (160,433), Perak (121,032), and Sabah (110,087).
Meanwhile, states with registrations below 100,000 include Kedah with 87,315, Kuala Lumpur (81,617), Kelantan (73,559), Penang (70,217), Pahang (66,624), Negeri Sembilan (63,756), Terengganu (58,165), Melaka (42,133), Perlis (14,637), Putrajaya (6,732), and Labuan (3,931).
Malaysian Consumers' Association of Cybersecurity (MCCA) president Siraj Jalil said the slow progress in Padu registration indicates existing skepticism among the public.
He said this was following concerns about user data security and a lack of understanding about the necessity of registering are prevailing.
"Since the first day of Padu registration opening on Jan 2, issues related to data security have already been raised, coupled with data leakage involving government agencies on social media, indirectly creating concerns.
"At the same time, the public also questioned the need for them to register their information in the system when the requested data is already available at the National Registration Department (NRD), Inland Revenue Board (IRB), and Social Security Organisation (Socso).
"Some also questioned whether their data is being protected 100 per cent if they register in the system. This issue needs to be addressed at the government level so that the registration progress can proceed smoothly," he told a Malay daily.
Siraj said the government must address these concerns promptly, highlighting the need for a clear communication mechanism to ensure smooth registration progress, considering the significant risk if the pace remains slow until the March 31 deadline.
With approximately 27 million people yet to register, the impending deadline is causing heightened concerns.
Launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Jan 2, Padu consolidates data from various government agencies under one roof.
It stands as one of the outcomes of the Madani government's new approach, showcasing agile implementation and the collective efforts of the entire government.
The implementation of Padu is to improve management efficiency that facilitates collecting, storing and managing data from various sources.
It also aims to improve the delivery of government services with Padu for better and more efficient services to be delivered to the people.
Apart from effective monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of national policies, Padu which is an integrated and centralised database can save resources significantly.
Meanwhile, Information Technology consultant expert, Ridzman Azzahari said the government needs to utilise its remaining time to address the issues causing slow registration progress.
He said the government should categorise the registered groups by age to determine which group is causing the slow registration progress.
"Once the data is available according to these age categories, only then can the government mobilise efforts to target the group causing the slow registration of the Padu system and assist them in doing so," he said.
Ridzman added that the main issue causing many not to register is the habit of 'waiting until the last moment' to do something, even though it poses a significant risk to their future.