PUTRAJAYA – Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli has dismissed concerns raised by a legal rights group regarding potential data security issues with the government’s Central Database Hub (Padu).
Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) pointed out a “loophole” in Padu’s registration process earlier today, as the platform went live ahead of amendments to the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) 2010, and with the law currently exempting the government from liability.
During a press conference, Rafizi stressed that government agencies were bound by their own data regulations and not the PDPA, as alleged by LFL.
“As we speak, you (the public) have tonnes of data in government databases. If you project the same argument (as LFL)… then we can’t do any processes involving public data and all (government) agencies must close,” he said.
“Each of these (government) agencies are covered by their own acts on data regulation. If it’s JPJ (Road Transport Department), then the act that governs them includes (protecting) data privacy.
“I would have thought that a lawyers’ group would have understood (this),” he added.
On public concerns regarding data security, the minister pointed out that there were a slew of laws that manage the handling of public data by civil servants.
“(Data security) risks aren’t just with public agencies, but with all applications. Hacking risks are there in all applications, so we must be fair” he said.
“I find it very difficult to comprehend how (the public) has no problem with registering here and there, but now when the government wants to digitalise our public services (through Padu), suddenly everyone is not happy about it.”
Rafizi said it was vital for all parties to comprehensively understand relevant laws as “you will look silly if you start talking about acts when you don’t even know about it”.
In echoing sentiments expressed by former two-time MP Ong Kian Ming, LFL director Zaid Malek had highlighted previous cases of the government misusing citizens’ personal data to spread propaganda through text messaging.
“It would be a massive betrayal of trust if data collected from the public were used by the government for any political purposes.
“Furthermore, with the data collected being centralised on a single platform, the security of the data must be made a priority,” the lawyer said today.
Padu, which was launched on Tuesday, is a comprehensive government system containing profiles of individuals and households, encompassing citizens and permanent residents in the country.
The system is intended to serve as the primary reference for structuring and implementing programmes or policies aimed at promoting public well-being, as well as to ensure subsidies go to the targeted groups. – January 4, 2024