3-10-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) Malaysia has abandoned its controversial 10 October deadline for the mandatory use of the MyDigital ID national identification system to access the Road Transport Department’s (JPJ) MyJPJ app. The abrupt U-turn comes as a relief to millions of users who had expressed concerns over the hasty implementation and technical issues surrounding the new digital identity platform.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced the policy reversal at a press conference on Wednesday, stating, “I have instructed the JPJ to maintain public access to the MyJPJ app as per usual, with no fixed deadline in place. This ensures there will be no disruptions to the service.” The minister’s intervention aims to quell the growing unrest among the app’s 10.5 million users, who rely on it for crucial services such as driver’s licence and road tax renewals, as well as vehicle ownership verification.
The controversy erupted when users encountered a pop-up notification on the MyJPJ app, informing them of the impending 10 October deadline to transition to MyDigital ID. Mr Loke clarified that this notification was not an official announcement from his ministry or the JPJ, describing it as potentially misleading and a source of public confusion. The pop-up has since been removed from the app.
MyDigital ID, conceptualised as Malaysia’s answer to Singapore’s Singpass system, aims to provide a unified sign-on platform for various government services. However, its rollout has been marred by technical glitches and public scepticism. Users reported issues ranging from app freezes and laggy performance to more serious concerns about cybersecurity.
The public outcry highlighted a range of grievances, with many questioning the necessity of making MyDigital ID mandatory for JPJ services. Some users advocated for keeping it as an optional feature, while others expressed frustration with the short notice given for such a significant change.
Acknowledging these concerns, Mr Loke emphasised the need for a more measured approach to integrating MyDigital ID with JPJ services. “The implementation should be seamless,” he stated, indicating that the back-end system integration required for this transition would take considerable time to perfect.
