KUCHING, March 23: Federal Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli is scheduled to meet with the Sarawak government next week to address concerns regarding Padu, the Central Database Hub, in response to the latter’s reservation over the extensive confidential data required for registration.
Disclosing this at a townhall on Padu in Shah Alam today, Rafizi acknowledged remarks made by Sarawak Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah who likened the registration process for Padu to “stripping citizens completely naked” of confidential data.
This has led the Sarawak government to express reservations about the requirement for citizens to complete registration on Padu, the issue of which is currently being discussed in the Sarawak Cabinet.
“It was his personal opinion. Everyone is entitled to have an opinion, even in Cabinet they are also entitled to have an opinion.
“In the end, we have to decide based on official decisions made by the respective State governments,” Rafizi was quoted as saying in a news report by MalayMail.
Rafizi also emphasised that the Federal government has no intention of extending the registration deadline for Padu beyond March 31 as it could futher delay the implementation timeline, particularly for targeted subsidies.
“Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced in the previous budget that we will restructure the bulk subsidy to targeted subsidy.
“If we hold the targeted subsidy plans, the government has to bear at least RM2 billion per month of the diesel subsidy that we have now, which is better to be redirected as aid to families in need,” he explained.
Addressing the low registration rate of Padu, Rafizi pointed out that Selangor and the Federal Territory, populated with low and medium incomes, face the highest risk of exclusion among other states, due to insufficient population registration in government data.
With the registration deadline approaching, Rafizi anticipates that approximately 10 million people will register for the system within the allotted timeframe. — DayakDaily
