KUALA LUMPUR: The government is ramping up efforts to accelerate registration on the Central Database Hub (Padu) through collaboration with various agencies under the Information Department.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, who is the unity government spokesperson, said organisations like Komuniti Madani will play a pivotal role in raising awareness and driving Padu registrations up among communities nationwide.
"We have been collaborating closely with the Department of Statistics Malaysia and Digital Economy Centre (PEDi) to facilitate community registration and ensure completion before the deadline.
"During my recent visit to PEDi, we witnessed over 1,500 successful registrations on Padu," he told the News Straits Times when contacted today.
Fahmi further addressed the low registration numbers for Padu, attributing it to fear-mongering among the public regarding security measures.
"Some of this apprehension may stem from misinformation or unfounded claims, such as rumours suggesting that individuals who register on Padu risk losing their money.
"However, in terms of cybersecurity, CyberSecurity Malaysia, Personal Data Protection Department, and National Cyber Security Agency are actively monitoring and ensuring the safety of Padu."
Despite misconceptions surrounding the central database hub, Fahmi urged the public to seize the opportunity to update their information to access government assistance.
"I encourage everyone to register and update their details directly on Padu, eliminating the need for intermediaries.
"With comprehensive data, the government can better ensure that assistance reaches those who truly need it."
Previously, it was reported that the number of individuals who have updated their information in the Padu system is 3.43 million as of Feb 15.
Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said that out of that total, 1.2 million people are civil servants who have been registered.
The Padu system was launched on Jan 2, and Malaysians aged 18 and above can register and update their personal information until March 31.
The implementation of Padu is to improve management efficiency that facilitates the collection, storage and management of 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 is able to save resources significantly.