KOTA SAMARAHAN, Mar 28: Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg emphasised that the Central Database System (PADU) should not gather excessive information, as individuals have the right to withhold certain personal details.
He also said that there should be limits set to safeguard personal information to align with constitutional provisions that protect freedom and liberty, in line with Article 5(1) of the Federal Constitution which guarantees personal liberty.
“We are eager to understand why PADU is requesting so much personal information when registering for the system.
“If extensive information is disclosed without relevance to financial matters, we see no justification for acquiring such in-depth details,” he said to reporters after attending the state-level Nuzul Al-Quran Celebration at the Al-Muttaqin Mosque, here on Wednesday.
Abang Johari explained that the government’s decision to postpone the PADU registrations is driven by the concerns expressed by Sarawakians when registrating for PADU via Resident Offices, District Offices and community leaders.
“We actually want to facilitate smoothly the information requested by the Ministry of Economy.
“We have previously discussed with the Economy Ministry to share our own (Sarawak) data, but we realised during the PADU registrations that too much information is being asked,” he said.
However, Abang Johari reiterated that the State Government supports the intention of the Federal Government, which he described as a noble objective, to provide targeted subsidies to the deserving needy.
On March 26, Minister of Economy Rafizi Ramli was reported to have said that his ministry would brief the Sarawak Government regarding PADU.
His ministry is expected to meet with representatives of the Sarawak Government to discuss the issue of the PADU registrations next week.
No information leakage issues have been reported despite over two million attempts to hack the database each week, according to Rafizi. -TVS
