THERE seems to be general bewilderment among communities at longhouses and villages about the recently launched Central Database Hub (Padu) and the need for people to register online before the deadline at the end of March.
Many ordinary folks do not seem to know what the system is all about.
To make things worse, many do not have Internet connection or even a mobile phone, and would thus not be able to access the online system.
The Vibes found a sense of confusion among the common folks in northern Sarawak.
Elected state assembly members and MPs have yet to carry out any outreach programme to explain to grassroots communities.
There are people who do not know much about the need to go online to apply and complete a registration process.
It also affects people in similar circumstances in urban areas.
"The YBs (elected representatives) must start holding briefings for the community on this latest Padu project by the federal government.
"The talk going around is that if we do not register with Padu, then we will not be able to qualify for government-subsidised daily necessities like rice and fuel. Is that true?” asked resident Patrick Jalong who hails from Long Kevok in upper Baram district.
He told The Vibes that the offices of political parties need to conduct briefings for the public fast.
"Carry out education campaigns, go to our longhouses and meet the residents and tell us what to do.
"We want the political parties from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) to help us register with Padu," he said, referring to the coalition ruling over the state.
Willie Kajan, community elder of the Tring-Berawan minority ethnic organisation, also lamented that there is a general sense of ignorance about what Padu is all about.
Many think that Padu is something like the Bantuan Rakyat 1 Malaysia, another government scheme to provide welfare assistance.
"They are not aware that people need to register online for Padu and that they need a mobile phone to get a personal password.
"Can the political offices help those without handphone coverage in the rural areas to register for Padu?
"The elected politicians must start going to the ground and explain all these to the grassroot folks," said Kajan.
Do not impose deadline
There are about a million rural folks living in remote districts in Sarawak. Most of them who still have no access to mobile telecommunications networks will miss out on the government's central data registration exercise.
When this happens, it is very likely that hundreds of thousands of them will not be able to enjoy government subsidies targeted for those with low income or no proper income.
Sarawak Pakatan Harapan (PH) information chief Senator Abun Sui Anyit also raised this worry, saying that Putrajaya must look into this dilemma swiftly.
He called on Putrajaya not to impose a deadline for the registration among those in rural districts.
"The relevant ministries in Putrajaya must quickly look into this absence of telecommunications coverage in many rural locations throughout Sarawak,” he said.
He noted that an applicant needs to be able to receive a one-time password via the mobile phone messaging system in order to register.
"In Sarawak, there are still many locations where there are zero mobile telecommunication links, thus there are no means to receive any handphone messages.
"Even in some areas where there are wireless internet connections, there are no mobile telecommunication lines. So the mobile phone cannot be used at all,” he said.
He called on relevant ministries and telecommunication companies like Celcom, Maxis, Digi and others to look into this immediately.
The Padu system was launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on January 2.
The federal government is implementing the system to enable it to channel aid and subsidies for essential items to those who are from the lower income brackets.
This is to avoid government subsidies from being exploited by those with higher incomes, such as is happening now.
Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli has said that Malaysians can update their personals details that are on the system by doing so online until March 31.
The data is managed by the Department of Statistics. It covers nearly 300 types of data under the federal government and will also progressively in the future take in data from state and local governments. – The Vibes, January 7, 2024
