BALIK PULAU: The Penang branch of the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) is intensifying efforts to encourage residents in the state to register with the Central Database Hub (PADU).
Its director, Khairolnizam Hassan said this is because the number of registrations recorded so far is still low even though it has been launched for almost a month.
As of 12 last night, there were only 60,388 new registrations under PADU representing 4.9 per cent of 1.2 million Penang residents, aged 18 and above.
“There are 1.7 million residents in Penang, and we need 1.2 million of them, aged 18 and above, and citizens to register.
“Thus, the Penang DOSM has undertaken several efforts to make it easier for people who have problems to register through the opening of physical counters at the Digital Economy Centres (PEDi) throughout the state, in addition to the Urban Transformation Centres (UTC), district offices and DOSM office grounds,“ he said.
Khairolnizam said additionally, his team has also started approaching the community by going into residential areas with high population densities such as the People’s Housing Project (PPR), flats and apartments to encourage them to register.
“We opened counters at the offices of State Legislative Council assemblymen and last week, in addition to the People’s Housing Project (PPR) and flats, we also went to carnivals to encourage the community to register with the PADU,“ he said.
“Beginning this weekend, to increase the total number of registrations, we will go into big supermarkets so that those with issues or questions can be attended to at counters that we will open.”
PADU, which was launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Jan 2, is open to the public until March 31, and users can update and verify 30 personal details including their identity card number, household number and residential address.
Earlier, Khairolnizam was met after accompanying Penang Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari to PEDi in Sungai Pinang here, to review the efficiency of the PADU registration process.
Meanwhile, Zairil hoped the community, especially in rural areas, would benefit from the facilities prepared by PEDi for the PADU registration process, and staff there could help with the registration process.
“It is important for everyone to register so that the government can distribute aid more efficiently because the data in the PADU system has been integrated with all departments,“ he said.
A resident of Kuala Sungai Pinang, Hasliza Nordin, 52, said the initiative to open PADA counters in rural areas in PEDi will enable residents in these areas to conduct the registration process.
“It will be easier here as there are staff members who can assist us in filling out the registration because I will not understand how if I have to do so myself,“ he added.–Bernama