BY NURA V LORNA & SAMUEL KARUNIA KORNO
KUCHING: Individuals ‘bare themselves naked’ the moment they fill out the Central Database Hub (PADU), said Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
While expressing his opposition to the new system, he said the intrusive nature of PADU – which requires citizens to disclose sensitive details, including bank account information, residential addresses, and other confidential information – effectively rendering them vulnerable.
He likened it to previous initiatives, the e-Kasih, and suggested a more targeted approach for aiding the underprivileged should be implemented.
“I personally see PADU as similar to what we’ve had before with e-Kasih. Why do we keep insisting on changes every two to three years? It only creates numerous problems.
“I don’t believe this is the right way to treat our citizens. If PADU is meant to assist the poor, let them fill out forms based on their need for assistance.
“But we shouldn’t make it mandatory for everyone to fill them out. Later, this data could be used for political purposes, such as during election time,” he said during a press conference after officiating at the launch of the Rainforest World Music Festival 2024 at the Sheraton Hotel today.
Abdul Karim added that the Sarawak government has its own reservations and assured that Cabinet discussions have been held on PADU’s implications.
He also said that Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier Department (Law, MA63 and State-Federal Relations) Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali had been tasked with reviewing the matter.
“For Sarawak, we have requested modifications to comply with only what is necessary,” he said.
Meanwhile, when asked to confirm reports of a memo urging local officials not to promote PADU participation, he said, “I can’t confirm that, but I think, don’t rush through this. Look deeply into why we want to establish PADU.
“Look in detail at why it is needed. Is it to help the poor? Or to know how many people are in the villages?
“That’s for the Statistics Department to do. That’s already in place. Before, we filled out e-kasih to help identify who was poor. Why do we need PADU now?”
As such, Abdul Karim said if assistance is to be provided to citizens, it can always be sourced from elsewhere and doesn’t necessarily have to go through PADU.
He suggested that if assistance is to be given, authorities can identify those under the Welfare Department which receives aid regularly and then request that they fill out PADU.
An official memorandum issued on March 21 advising against registering on PADU due to security concerns has gone viral.
The memo advises residents in various districts and resident office staff to refrain from registering their information on PADU until further notice.
Additionally, it requests the extension of this directive to community leaders, village chiefs, and village development and security committees (JKKK) under the purview of the relevant office.
