KUALA LUMPUR: Citizens need to have rights, including the right to demand penalties, in the government’s Central Database Hub (Padu) initiative, which will be used to implement targeted subsidies, said Sapna Sumbly, director for BFSI Business, SEA, Trend Micro.
While such a system may streamline subsidies, she stressed the importance of robust security measures and adherence to personal data protection laws to protect citizens’ data.
“What it means for users is that they have the ability, or I would rather say the right, to know what is happening to their data. Many similar initiatives, which have progressed from acts to laws such as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), not only grant individuals the right to privacy but also the right to demand penalties from governments if they fail to meet the expected response. It is more of a privacy issue, which falls under the scope of the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). If you examine the act itself, you’ll find it includes robust security controls alongside legal and other regulatory requirements,” she said in an interview.
However, she anticipates that the government’s move to centralise data within Padu will be accompanied by stringent security measures to comply with the PDPA.
“I’m sure that if the government is taking the initiative of consolidating and being the custodian then they will follow the necessary controls that are required as a part of the PDPA,” she said.