KUALA LUMPUR, January 3 – Former Bangi MP and Deputy International Trade Minister, Ong Kian Ming, has called for the suspension of the newly-launched Central Database Hub (Padu) until security flaws surrounding its data are addressed. Despite the government’s claims of Padu being a game-changer for targeted subsidies, users have identified serious problems shortly after its launch. Ong raised concerns about the collection of information, highlighting issues such as inaccurate reporting of income and the need for users to provide information already available through government agencies. He also pointed out a major security flaw, allowing users to register information for others without stringent verification.
Ong emphasized the importance of rectifying these flaws before the next parliamentary sitting to prevent political debates. Padu, designed to be a comprehensive national database, aims to provide accurate data analytics for policy-making and targeted assistance delivery. While Economic Affairs Minister Rafizi Ramli acknowledged security concerns, Ong questioned the need for users to provide information already available to government agencies. The call for suspension underscores the need for proper stress-testing before Padu’s reimplementation.
