Huge population of rural folks to miss out on Padu data registration, cautions PH senator

MOST OF the million-odd rural folks living in remote districts in Sarawak who have no access to mobile telecommunications coverage will likely miss out on the federal government’s Central Database Hub (Padu) registration exercise.

According to Sarawak Pakatan Harapan (PH), hundreds of thousands of them will thus not be able to enjoy government subsidies targeted for those with low income or no proper income.

Its information chief Senator Abun Sui Anyit today raised this worry, calling on Putrajaya to address the problem swiftly.

"The relevant ministries in Putrajaya must quickly look into this absence of mobile telecommunications coverage in many rural locations throughout Sarawak.

"To register with Padu, an applicant needs to be able to receive a one-time password via the mobile phone messaging system,” he told reporters in Miri.

"In Sarawak, there are still many locations where there are zero mobile telecommunication links, thus there are no means to receive any handphone messages,” he said.

Su said that even in some areas where there are wireless internet connections there are no mobile telecommunication lines, making mobile phone of no use for the purpose at all.

He urged the relevant ministries and telecommunication companies like Celcom, Maxis, Digi and others must look into this immediately.

"Without this problem being resolved very soon, a big population of rural Sarawakians will surely miss out on the Padu registration and thus will not be able to benefit from targeted subsidies from the federal government.

Sui, who is also Sarawak PKR deputy chairman, said he will raise the matter to the higher ups in Putrajaya and well as to his party's leadership.

He also called on Putrajaya not to impose a deadline for Padu registration for rural districts.

Imposing a deadline will create hardship for those needing help with the online application processes, he pointed out.

The federal government is implementing the system to enable it to channel aid and subsidies for essential items to those who are from the lower income brackets.

This is to avoid government subsidies from being exploited by those with higher incomes, such as is happening now.

The Padu system was launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday.

Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli has said that Malaysians can update their personals details that are on the system by doing so online until March 31.

The data is managed by the Department of Statistics. It covers nearly 300 types of data under the federal government and will also progressively in the future take in data from state and local governments. – The Vibes, January 4, 2023