THE SARAWAK cabinet wants a halt to the ongoing registration of denizens in the state for the Central Database Hub (Padu) which is overseen and managed by the federal government.
State Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Abdul Karim Hamzah today said there is a need to review the exercise and urged Sarawakians not to participate in it as yet.
"We in the state cabinet discussed this Padu and feel we need to halt this registration,” he said.
"Why is the federal government wanting all citizens to bare naked all their personal information on bank accounts, properties, income, et cetera?
"These are personal confidential details that should not be shared. The state government wants a review.”
"People in Sarawak should not register as yet with Padu," Karim told reporters in Kuching today.
Meanwhile, Free Malaysia Today reported federal Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil as saying that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be meeting with Sarawak Premier Datuk Seri Abang Johari Openg to address the state’s concerns on the hub.
Fahmi, who is the unity government’s spokesman, said Abang Johari is currently in Kuala Lumpur and the matter will be discussed.
“The prime minister and the premier had a brief conversation on this, and it was decided that there will be a follow-up discussion,” he was quoted as saying.
However, he stressed that Padu is still open for registration, and claimed that the response in Sarawak has been “quite good”.
The New Straits Times reported Karim as saying that Deputy Minister in the Premier's Department, Sharifah Hasidah Syed Aman Ghazali, who oversees state-federal relations for the state cabinet, had been directed to convey the state's request for "some modifications (to be made in the form to be filled) more suited to the needs of Sarawak".
Karim said the state cabinet had agreed that "there must be a slight change (in the information requested) specifically for Sarawak".
He said the request for the tweak does not mean the state was not supportive of the initiative.
"If it is with good intention then, of course, we are supportive. But if they (Putrajaya) have some ulterior motive in Padu, then we will not be happy," he was quoted as saying.
The Padu system was launched by Anwar on January 2.
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 federal government reasoned that the system will 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.
Malaysians can update their personals details that are on the system by doing so online until March 31. – The Vibes, March 22, 2024
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