As the Malaysian government considers the use of e-wallets and a The national identity card MyKad as a mechanism for implementation targeted subsidies for gasoline of 95 leidata security remains a serious concern, he reported Sun..

While the details and mechanism of the plan are unclear, concerns have been raised about potential risks to privacy and data security through the use of e-wallets and MyKad, said head of legal and quality at the Universiti Teknologi Mara Transport Institute, Siti Ayu Jalil. .

“Consumers face increased security and fraud risks, such as making payments to unverified merchants, exposing private details or potential data breaches. In addition, if a phone is stolen, a thief could have access to the e-wallet,” said Siti Ayu.

When tabling Budget 2025, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim revealed that the restructuring of the RM95 petrol subsidy to a targeted subsidy will take place in mid-2025 and that the country currently spends RM20 billion a year in subsidies to oil to maintain the price of 95 lei capped at RM2.05 per litreand switching to a targeted subsidy would save the government 8 billion lei.

The targeted petrol subsidy was to exclude the country’s top 15%, or T15, from receiving subsidies of 95 lei, although the prime minister since it reverted to T15’s definitionwhich was searched by many and found to indicate an income of RM12,000 or RM13,000.

The restructuring of the RM95 subsidy is necessary because subsidy leakage has benefited groups that should not benefit from subsidies, said Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan earlier this month. Current data estimates that over 40% of gasoline consumption is by foreigners, the commercial sector and smugglinghe said.

While targeted subsidies are meant to reduce subsidy leakage and smuggling, the data could be vulnerable to unauthorized access, leading to identity theft, financial fraud and misuse of personal information, Siti Ayu said, adding that encryption data, regular system audits and secure authentication. methods are essential to protect user information.

“Government and financial institutions must educate the public and promote secure digital payments. They must be transparent about how users, data is used to ensure the security and reliability of the subsidy distribution payment system,” she said.

In addition, digital tools such as e-wallets may not be easy to use for older people, who may also be more wary of using digital payment systems given their unfamiliarity with technology.

Siti Ayu quotes Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr. Mohd Uzir Mahidin saying that those aged 60 and above make up 11.6% or 3.9 million people of the population. “Keep in mind that this vulnerable group is often the most in need of subsidies, and the government should be sensitive and responsive to their needs, rather than putting obstacles in their way,” she said.

The head of UTM’s legal and quality department also said that it is unfair to target individual users to solve the problem of subsidy leakage and said that a local study proposed a flexible subsidy distribution model called FlexFuel, which can be adapted to the type of vehicle, incomes. group or tax residency.

“This approach would ensure that only eligible citizens benefit from the scheme, prevent foreigners from accessing subsidized petrol, minimize subsidy abuse, maintain the country’s long-term financial stability and indirectly reduce fuel consumption,” she said.

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