This report looks at the non-mandatory digital ID, My Number Card, in Japan and the mandatory digital ID, MyKad, in Malaysia.
"An estimated 25 million My Number cards have been issued since its introduction in January 2016, accounting for about 20 percent of Japan’s population. The Japanese government aims to improve this statistic by setting up a Digital Agency in 2021 and by expanding the areas in which the My Number Card may be used."
Since introducing MyKad in 2001, Malaysia has revved up its engine in digitally transforming the country with a new National Digital Identity Initiative (NDI), which aims to roll out a biometric digital identification that can be used to update documents, set up bank accounts, and even enroll children in schools - all with the use of a smart device.
Data security remains a real concern for some Malaysians, however, as the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA) is seemingly inadequate in providing well-rounded data security