KUALA LUMPUR: The government has assured that the Central Database Hub (Padu) will not be exploited as campaign material in the next general election.
Unity government spokesperson Fahmi Fadzil said this in response to criticism by political activist Shahir Adnan in which he hoped that data collected would be used for political purposes.
"Any agency which provides data to Padu must comply with the terms and conditions set out by the Personal Data Protection Department (PDPD) which is under the Digital Ministry.
"So, it cannot be misused. Even though there were instances in the past where such things happened, it won't happen again.
"Our methods of campaigning are different. Insyaallah we will not misuse it," he told reporters at press conference after attending the 'Jualan Termurah Demi Rakyat' community sales in Pantai Dalam, here, today.
Padu which was launched on Jan 2, is a comprehensive database that is meant to accurately gauge the nation's socioeconomic status to disburse targeted subsidies.
Soon after its launch, a loophole was detected in its system which allowed third parties to use identity card numbers to override passwords. This was later fixed.
However, concerns about potential abuse and data security arose as the government is exempted from liability under the Personal Data Protection Act.