MIMOS Berhad, the implementing agency behind the MyDigital ID initiative, has affirmed the security of the online identification system, emphasising that there will be no compromise or leakage of user data.
Bernama reports that Dr. Saat Shukri Embong, Chief Techno-Venture of MIMOS Berhad, explained that the assurance stems from the agency’s practice of not storing personal user data.
Instead, their servers solely process individual identification during transactions by verifying user identities through existing government databases, such as the National Registration Department.
Saat Shukri highlighted that MIMOS neither receives nor stores any user data or digital certificates, as all information is safeguarded by the government and protected by relevant legislation.
He underscored the uniqueness of digital certificates, which are exclusively owned by users through their respective devices. In the event of digital identity theft, Saat Shukri attributed the potential risk to users sharing device passwords or falling victim to phone hacking.
To address security concerns, he assured that if a user’s phone is lost or stolen, they can promptly contact the MIMOS hotline to request the cancellation of the digital certificate. Subsequently, users would need to re-register to obtain a new digital certificate.
Saat Shukri refuted claims that the MyDigital ID system was hastily developed, asserting that the initiative originated in 2016 during MIMOS’s Integrated Authentication Platform research project under the 11th Malaysia Plan.
The agency considered Estonia, India, Singapore, Canada, and Australia as benchmarks for digital identity development. However, the MyDigital ID initiative was tailored to meet local needs and specific use cases through collaboration with local universities.
Regarding the implementation timeline, Saat Shukri revealed that the registration process would commence with administrators, policymakers, and civil servants.
The subsequent phases would extend to government beneficiaries based on the Central Database Hub (PADU) starting in March of the following year. Registration for the general public is slated to begin in July 2024.
MyDigital ID represents a digital identification and verification system designed to be used by both public and private sectors, ensuring secure identity verification for online transactions.
